86 
Appendices to Eighth Annual Report 
about the fisheries in Stenness and Harray, and the sea-trout fisheries in the 
Orkneys generally. With regard to the size attained by the Orcadian sea-trout, 
one witness stated that he had heard of one caught in a net, 21^ lbs. weight, 
and had seen one of 12 \ lbs.; and another witness stated that he had seen one 
of 14 lbs. One of the witnesses examined at Kirkwall said, that about six 
years ago there was a curious epidemic among the trout in the Loch of Harray, 
when most of the fish died. He went down to the banks of the loch one day, 
and found them lying dead all along the shore. There was no appearance of 
any fungoid growth on any of the fish. They seemed just to have died from 
natural causes. The season had been a very hot and dry one. Next year 
there were very few fish. The majority of the witnesses examined agreed as 
to the evil effects of the destructive modes of fishing practised in Lochs Stenness 
and Harray, such as set lines, sweep-nets and fixed-nets, otters, and the non- 
observance of any annual close time. In consequence of this the sea-trout and 
loch-trout are less numerous, and the individual fish are smaller in size than 
they used to be. In short, the tendency of the evidence taken by the Commis- 
sioners clearly proved the evil effects of allowing fishing unrestricted, as to 
season or implements, and the necessity of imposing some restrictions. One 
witness deponed that he had seen eight or nine otters being used on the Loch 
of Harray one day, and the next day two on the Loch of Stenness. Another 
said that, during the last five years, there had been a marked falling off in the 
fishings, which he imputed to the use of sweep-nets, lines (each with several 
hooks) set during the night and drawn in the morning, and nets stretched and 
fixed across the whole breadth of the water above and below the Bridges of 
Waithe and Brogar, so as to intercept the passing fish. These nets have a 
small mesh, like herring-nets, and are set, not only in the lochs, but also across 
the burns running into them, where they do a great deal of mischief, especially 
during the spawning season. Another witness, who had then (1880) known the 
Loch of Stenness for 30 years, said, that when he first knew it, there was 
nothing but fair fishing with rod and line. He also said that he had, long ago, 
killed 30 sea-trout with rod and line in that loch in three hours. They 
weighed from 3 lbs. downwards. Such a take would be impossible now, owing 
to the otters, set lines, and nets ; but if a close time were enacted and enforced, 
and the lochs protected, such are their natural advantages, that the fishings 
would recover in a few years. 
A great number of burns, some of them of considerable size, fall into the 
Lochs of Stenness and Harray, and in autumn and early winter the sea-trout 
and loch-trout ascend these burns for the purpose of spawning. But these 
narrow streams afford peculiar facilities for destroying the spawning fish, and 
there is no doubt that a number of them are killed while engaged in reproduc- 
ing their species. This, of course, is the most destructive and improvident of 
all illegal modes of killing fish, as the death of every ripe female means the 
destruction of many hundred ova. But the udallers do not like to be subjected 
to any restriction whatever. As one Orkney proprietor writes me, in answer 
to the printed queries — 
1 fear the native Orcadian is too short-sighted to regard an attempt to preserve the 
fishings in any other light than that of an attempt of the ' bloated aristocrat 'to interfere 
with the ' rights of the people. ' An attempt to stop ottering on the Loch of Harray was 
much resented by some of the smaller proprietors and others. 
The most destructive instrument used for killing fish during the spawning 
se ason is called a 'haevie.' It resembles a large landing-net, with a handle 
from 6 to 10 feet long, and is poked under the banks of the burns and swept 
through the pools. It is scarcely necessary to point out what an infernal 
machine this must be for the destruction of fish in the narrow Orcadian burns 
during the spawning season. 
Powers of The question as to what are the powers of the Fishery Board for 
Fishery Board s co tland, under the 2nd sub section of the 5th section of ' The Fishery 
mon Fisheries ' Board (Scotland) Act, 1882,' was prominently brought forward during 
of Scotland, the sittings of the Commission on Crown Eights in Scottish Salmon 
FisheV^Board Waters - The Act of 1882 Provides that 'The Fishery Board shall have 
Act of 1882. ' the general superintendence of the Salmon Fisheries of Scotland, and 
' shall have the powers and duties of Commissioners under the Salmon 
' Fishery Acts, but without prejudice to or interference with the powers 
1 of District Boards.' 
