SALMONIBvE. 73 



by an order from the Home Office, but not apparently to increase their length but 

 merely to vary their incidence. A weekly close-time from noon Saturday to 6 a.m. 

 on Monday was also imposed. The employment of fish roe for angling, or the 

 possession of salmon roe or unseasonable fish, subjects the individual to a fine. In 

 1863 the export of unseasonable fish was prohibited, as it was found that just as 

 large a quantity were being sent out of the country during the illegal as during 

 the legal season, and the export in 1862 was double that of 1861. 



In the Severn some of the principal regulations which existed in 1740 are 

 contained in the British Angler, of which the following are a synopsis : A 

 close-time between September 8th and November 11th, and no young fish to be 

 captured from the middle of April to June 24th. Salmon nets were to have the 

 mesh 2^ inches from knot to knot, nor to be above 20 yards long and 2 broad : or 

 not less than above 50 long and 6 broad in the wing of the net from Ripplelock 

 Stake (a little above Tewkesbury) to Gloucester Bridge : or above 60 in length, 

 below Gloucester Bridge : nor shall fish with more than one of these nets at once. 



In a digest of the present fishery laws for the Severn district I find the 

 following regulations among many others : Annual close-time from August 31st 

 to February 2nd, except for anglers, who are pex-mitted to angle to November 1st : 

 a weekly close-time of 36 hours. Salmon nets to have the mesh 2 inches from 

 knot to knot. While it has been unsuccessfully proposed to increase the number 

 of hours of the weekly close-season, to restrict the length of the nets above 

 Tewkesbury (Ripplelock Stake) to 100 yards long and 8 broad, and also the 

 shooting of nets so immediately one after another, as is done near Worcester.* 

 While some are in favour of abolishing night- netting entirely, as giving the fish 

 more rest, which if it does diminish the takes to a certain extent likewise removes 

 the necessity for a night gang (see p. 91). 



In Scotland, so long ago as a.d. 1424, we find that a close-time for salmon existed, 

 and if a poacher exercised his vocation during this period he had to lose his life 

 or purchase it. The Tweed Act of 1857 was, perhaps, the commencement of a 

 new era in the Scotch salmon fisheries ; fixed nets were abolished in estuaries and 

 rivers (but from then until now their legality along the foreshore has not been 

 decided) : leistering or spearing was prohibited, a weekly close-time legalized, and 

 the mesh of the nets fixed at If inches between knot and knot. Both the period 

 of time and the distance which should extend between the working of nets was 

 likewise laid down, while the killing of foul fish was prohibited during the legal 

 season for capture. Subsequently other laws, somewhat similar to the English 

 ones, have been passed, except fixed engines in the sea have been left alone. 



Space will not permit remarks upon the nature of the tenure by which salmon 

 fisheries are held. Russell observes that in England they were recognized, 

 protected and regulated as property by Magna Charta, and both in England and 

 Ireland began to be legislated for as property at least 600 years ago, while in 

 Scotland the property, besides having legal recognition equally ancient, has in 

 mu'titudes of cases been separated for centuries from the soil. 



The legalized open season for salmon fishing in the United Kingdom this year 

 was with few exceptions as follows : 



England . Rods from Feb. 1st to May 1st until Sept. 30th to Nov. 29th. 

 Nets Feb. 2nd April 1st Aug. 14th Sept. 30th. 



Scotland . Rods Jan. 11th,, Feb. 25th Sept. 14th Nov. 20th. 

 Nets ., Feb. 5th Feb. 25th Aug. 26th Sept. 14th. 



Ireland . Rods ,, Jan. 1st ,, June 1st ,, Sept. 14th Nov. 1st. 

 Nets ,, Jan. 1st ,, June 1st ,, July 16th ,, Sept. 30th. 



The reason why angling is permitted for some time after net fishing has 

 ceased is to give persons in the upper reaches of rivers some chance of capturing 



* One of the most killing plans of taking salmon I have seen is carried on in the tidal waters 

 below Chepstow. A line of boats is anchored across a tideway, and a large lave net is let over the 

 side of each with its mouth to the incoming tide. The bag of the net is sufficiently long to be 

 brought under the boat and held by the hand on the up-river side. On a salmon striking this lave 

 net the bag end is let go, and the lave net side (resembling a huge landing net) is elevated : and 

 thus salmon are taken in quantities. 



