34 
Appendices to Tenth Annual Report 
II. — DISCHARGE. 
By Wages to Inspector and Bailiffs for year, . . . . £719 18 11 
„ Superintendent, ,£130, and his Travelling Expenses, 
£32, lis. Id., 162 11 1 
„ Bank Interest, Extracts from Valuation Rolls, Printing, and 
Bank Charges, 24 11 9 
„ Clerk's Salary and Outlays 26 16 2 
„ Legal Expenses, 7 17 1 
„ Advances for Men's "Wages to be charged against next year's 
Assessment, 50 11 8 
„ Arrear of Assessment, 1184 
„ Balance at Credit of Account with Royal Bank, Elgin, . . 16 1 5 
Answers from 
the Forth 
District 
Board. 
Answers from 
the South 
Esk District 
Board. 
Answers from 
the Aber- 
deenshire Dee, 
£1010 6 5 
There has been a general increase in the take of fish in the 
Forth District during 1891. The fishing was very good in the lower 
reaches and ' exceedingly good ' in fixed engines. The heaviest salmon 
was caught by a hang-net at Alloa, and weighed 48J lbs. The heaviest 
caught by rod was at Craigforth, and weighed 44 lbs. There are twelve 
watchers employed by the District Board, and the protection of the river 
is efficient. There are no dam-dikes which offer serious obstruction to 
the passage of salmon. The pollution of the Devon, a tributary of the 
Forth, is as bad as ever, and no steps are taken by the polluters to abate 
or neutralise the pollution. 
There was a general increase in the Fisheries in the South 
Esk in 1891, which is imputed to the better protection of the 
river during the spawning season. It is difficult, if not impossible, to 
give an accurate account of the number of fish caught, but the estimate 
given is 4000 by net and coble; 38,000 infixed engines; and 900 by 
rods. The rod fishing has been he best known for many years. The 
heaviest salmon caught by net and coble weighed 25 lbs.; by fixed 
engines 42 lbs.; and by rods 28 lbs. A Superintendent and six water- 
bailiffs are employed. There were twelve prosecutions in 1891, followed 
by convictions in almost every case. 
There are no crnives on the river, but there are dams at Kinnaird, 
East Mill, Brechin Castle, Blackie Mill, Finavon, and Murthill. They 
are worked in accordance with the bye-laws, and afford a passage to fish.* 
There are no natural obstructions in the river. Formerly the South Esk 
was much polluted, but since an action was raised by the river pro- 
prietors, some years ago, matters have considerably improved, and at 
present there is not much cause of complaint. 
The salmon disease made its first appearance in September last, and has 
since gone on increasing. At present (November 30th), the majority of 
the fish are more or less diseased. The cause and the remedy of the 
disease are mysterious, but there can be no doubt that more specific 
powers should be given to water-bailiffs to take out and destroy diseased fish. 
From appearance of fish going over dikes, male and female fish would 
seem to be in about equal numbers. The Wild Birds Protection Act as 
regards gulls and other birds known to destroy smolts and ova should be 
repealed. 
There has been a general increase in the take of fish in the Dee at most of 
the fishing stations by fixed engines and net and coble, and by rod on the 
river, attributable to favourable state of wind and weather at commence- 
ment, and well on during the earlier part of the season ; also, that the 
* The fish-way on the dam at Brechin Castle, which has always been the worst 
obstruction on the river, though somewhat improved does not yet afford a free 
passage to ascending fish. 
