Report on Salmon Fisheries. 
xxvii 
ing the manifold pollutions of the Leven, the sole effluent of the 
Lake, only one of the numerous print-works on its banks making 
any attempt to purify the polluted water before returning it to the 
river. There is no District Board for the Clyde and Leven, and. 
apparently, no chance of one being formed. 
In the end of July, Mr Young carefully inspected the Tyne from River Tvne. 
the Town of Haddington down to the sea, specially examining the 
picturesque falls at East Linton, which form a serious obstruction to 
ascending fish. The Tyne is a very good river for yellow^ trout ; 
but there seems some doubt whether it is, at present, a salmon 
river or a bull-trout river, like the Coquet in Northumberland. 
The evidence laid before the Inspector upon this point was some- 
what unsatisfactory and conflicting. 
In August, the Inspector visited the Rivers Ythan and Ugie, Rivers Ythan 
and met with the Clerks to their District Boards. These are '''"'^ ^s^^' 
the latest salmon rivers on the east coast. He also met Mr 
Wilsone, Clerk to the District Boards of the important Rivers 
Dee and Don. All these Boards, as well as the Board of the North 
Esk, are strongly opposed to any proposal to grant licenses to fisher- 
men to fish with hang-nets in the narrow seas belonging to the 
Crown. There has been no change in the obstructions on the Don 
since the Inspector reported on them last. 
At Dingwall, the Inspector met Mr Mackenzie, Clerk to the Conon River Conon. 
District Board, and along with him and the water-bailifl", inspected 
the Falls of Orrin and the Falls of the Conon. As the Brahan 
Cruives, which are leased by Mr Stirling of Muirton, had been 
kept open all the year, there were an immense number of salmon 
in the river above them, a very different state of matters from 
some years ago, when the cruives were used all through the fishing- 
season for killing fish, and the sweep-net was regularly worked 
besides in the pool below the cruive dyke. 
With regard to the opening up of the Falls of the Conon, the 
Board would beg to direct attention to the following extract from 
the Report of the Committee of 1890 on Crown Rights in Scottish 
Salmon Fisheries : — ' The Commissioners of Woods and Forests 
' mentioned to us the case of a proposal by the riparian proprietors 
' on the Conon, where there is a natural rock obstruction, to pur- 
' chase from the Crown the right of salmon fishing, and that they 
' would then remove the obstruction. For this the proprietors, 
* having unchartered waters, have arranged together to offer the 
* slump sum of £1000. It is stated that, by the removal of that 
' obstruction, a large breeding-ground both of river and lake water 
' would be opened up, and the Inspector of Salmon Fisheries for 
' Scotland, who is well acquainted with the district, strongly 
' approves of the proposal. But after the discussion in the House 
' of Commons last session upon the Morar case, the Commis- 
* sioners, in consecpience of the remarks then made, have delayed 
' completing the sale until it had been considered by us. We are 
' of opinion that if the Secretary for Scotland; after due inquiry, 
' approves of the proposals, the Commissioners should carry out 
' the sale to the riparian proprietors as proposed.' 
