of the Fishery Board for Scotland, 
15 
Artificial Propagation of Salmon. 
Is there any hatchery in your district for the artificial propagation of salmon and 
trout, either belonging to the District Board or supported by private enter- 
prise ? If so, describe its situation, and state how many fish can be hatched 
out in it annually. 
General Question. 
Are there any other points relating to the Salmon Fisheries in your district to 
which you would wish to direct the attention of the Board, in addition to 
those suggested by the preceding queries ? 
To the above Queries I received the following answers : — 
RIVER TAY. 
The clerks to the Tay District Board write as follows : — The take of fish in 
our district has diminished for some years, which we attribute to defects in the 
present annual and weekly close times ; the destruction of smolts in spring by 
so-called sparling-nets ; and the use of hang-nets in the estuary. The former 
have been partially interdicted from 25th September to 25th February, and 
the latter are again before the Court of Session. 
As to the take of salmon, they estimate it at 28,000 salmon and 
12,000 grilse by net and coble ; 5000 salmon and 2300 grilse by fixed 
nets ; and 1500 salmon and 500 grilse by rods. 
At all seasons there are some clean fish in the Tay. The main take as 
to number is in July and August, as to value perhaps in February, when 
the price is highest. 
The largest salmon caught in the Tay in 1889 were one of 67 lbs., by 
net, and a good number from 40 to 45 lbs. By rod 57, 55, and 47 lbs. 
The present annual close time pleases nobody. It is too much cramped bv 
the statutory 168 days of close time. These now begin on 27th August, which 
necessitates deferring the commencement to 11th February, which is nearly a 
month too late. The principal proprietors were willing to give a 48 hours 
weekly close time, and prohibit nets above a certain point if the season were 
extended at both ends, especially in spring. But their proposed Bill was 
opposed. 
The protection is by men under the Tay District Board. Eight constables 
are employed in the open, and from 22 to 26 in the close season, and they 
have the advantage of a steam launch, which keeps the poachers in their holes. 
The artificial obstructions in the district of the Tay are : — 
On the Earn, the dam and cruives at Dupplin, and dam at Dornoch; on 
Ericht, several mill-dams at Blairgowrie, for which there are two salmon- 
ladders, which have been inoperative from the fish not getting over the natural 
obstruction of the Keith. The natural obstructions are Falls of Tummel, 
Keith at Blairgowrie, and on tributaries of the Isla. 
Would be in favour of giving compulsory power to District Boards to 
attach a fish-pass to natural obstructions, similar to that which is con- 
ferred, under certain conditions, on Boards of Conservators in England, 
by section 49 of the Salmon Fisheries Act of 1873, 'under condition that 
* the pass shall not be a deformity.' 
There is 'A Hatchery' at Dupplin capable of hatching four or five 
hundred thousand fish. It has hatched 350,000 on glass grills. 
In answer to the general questions at the end of the queries, the clerks 
to the Tay District Board write as follows : — 
