of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 27 
to Scotland ; to be exercised in special cases on detailed report by a competent 
Inspector. The proprietor to have opportunity of showing cause against such 
interference with his profit or amenity. 
Pollutions on Clyde and Leven are as bad or worse than ever. There is no 
salmon disease in the district. 
There is a general feeling amongst anglers, that tacksmen of salmon 
fishings and dealers in salmon should be licensed. It is thought that this 
might help to stop the traffic in immature fish now so largely carried on. 
RIVER BROOM. 
From the River Broom, in Ross-shire, I am informed that ' within the 
' last thirty years, salmon and sea-trout have very considerably diminished, 
* owing to bag-nets and scringing. Thirty or forty years ago, 8 or 10 
' fish a day was a fine day's rod-fishing. Now 2 or 3 fish is considered 
' good.' From 60 to 80 salmon and grilse were killed last year by rods. 
The heaviest fish weighed 32 lbs. The river is thoroughly protected by 
keepers. There were no prosecutions last year, but convictions were 
obtained in 1888. There is a private hatchery at Braemore, in which 
about 100,000 fish can be hatched out. I am happy to be able to state 
that the proprietors on the Broom, Ullapool, Kennart, and some other 
small adjacent rivers, propose to apply to get District Boards constituted, 
and then to combine, in terms of the 22nd section of the Salmon 
Fisheries Act of 1862, to maintain a common staff of officers for the 
protection of the fisheries in these districts. 
With regard to Trout-fishing, the famous Fifeshire Loch Leven, though 
far more productive and showing a better average weight than any other 
loch in the United Kingdom, has not yielded so many trout last year as 
it has sometimes done, — for example, as in 1888, when it produced upwards 
of 23,000 trout weighing more than 21,000 lbs. The balance-sheet of 
the Loch Leven Angling Association, who rent the loch, is, however, in a • 
highly satisfactory position. The directors state that : — The Gross 
Receipts for the year including Bank Interest on the Revenue Account 
amount to £2033, 12s. lid., and after providing for the maximum rent of 
£1000 and all Charges and expenses there remains a clear balance on 
Revenue Account of £48, 3s. 3d. To this there falls to be added 
£23, 7s. 8d. of interest on Capital paid up and invested, and the balance 
of £212, 14s. 3d. carried forward from last account, and these sums together 
give a disposable balance of £284, 5s. 2d. The directors recommend the 
declaration of a Dividend at the rate of 10 per cent, on the paid up Capital 
which will amount to £118, 4s., leaving a balance of £166, Is. 2d. to be 
carried forward to next year. 
By the permission of the proprietor, Sir Graham Montgomery, Bart., 
the angling on the loch was last year extended two weeks beyond the 
usual time for closing. 
During the past year 325 pike have been killed, and vigorous means 
are still being adopted for keeping them down. 
The usual hatching operations were again carried on during the winter 
with success. About 280,000 fry were in the spring deposited in the 
chief feeders of the loch. 
