§ Mr. WATTasked the Lord Advocate whether the Commission which inquired into the question of salmon fishings in Scotland recommended that, in letting these, the Office of Woods and Forests should in future give a preference to fishermen working such fishings for a livelihood; if so, will he say whether this recommendation has been always followed by the Scottish Office; and, in particular, will he say why fishermen were not preferred in letting the salmon fishings in Loch Ridden, Kyles of Bute?
Mr. McKINNON WOODThe Committee appointed by the Secretary for Scotland to inquire into the Crown Rights in Salmon Fishing in Scotland, in their Report made in 1890, recommended that the Commissioners of Woods should allow local fishermen to fish on suitable parts of the coast, on payment of a licence, the practice down to that date having been to let the Crown Salmon Fishings on lease for a term of years after competition by public tender. The policy of granting licences was adopted on many parts of the coast of Scotland in 1894 and continued for some years, but the demand for licences gradually diminished and eventually died out and the scheme was abandoned. The Crown Salmon Fishings in Loch Ridden let by the Crown, were in lease for a term of years, when the license scheme was instituted. This term did not expire until 1902, before which date the scheme had been abandoned, and a fresh lease was granted in 1903, after public tender, for another term of years.