BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 185 



98.— CONCERI^IIIVO THE SAIilTIOIV FISHERIES OF BRETAONE, FRANCE, 

 AND THE NEED OF FISH- WAYS AND RESTRICTIVE CEOISL,ATION. 



The crawfish is not the only thing threatened with extermination. 

 Our last article on the truly blameworthy tolerance of the administration 

 in regard to poaching in our waters has brought us a letter from a resi- 

 dent of Finist^re. We give his exact words, so as not to lessen the ap- 

 pearance of truth with which our correspondent has described that 

 which passes under his eyes. He writes us : 



"Affairs in this country have reached their limits. Salmon and trout 

 are threatened with absolute destruction. Notice what takes place: 

 Salmon ascend the river to spawn ; at the mouth nearly all the fish are 

 stoijped by the nets of the fishermen of the maritime inscription, whose 

 right to fish with seines extends in the river as far up as the tide ascends. 

 There i)ass, then, only a few salmon, which the nets of the residents 

 along the river will harass all summer. You see what is likely to sur- 

 vive for reproduction. 



" Nor is this all. At the time when these unfortunate fish choose a 

 spawning-place, and when they are easy of capture by any one with a 

 grappling-iron, with a basket even, great numbers are caught; and they 

 can be seen carried to market with their eggs flowing from their bodies 

 like the water of a spring. Also, one now sees but few young salmon j 

 and, as it is acknowledged that after their sojourn in the sea these young 

 salmon return to the streams where they were born, you can judge of 

 the final issue : our rivers after a short time will contain no salmon. 



"The advantage of the fish-culturists lies in protecting the difi'ereut 

 species, and in aiding the processes of propagation. The English un- 

 derstand this and profit by it. Last year I saw in Aberdeen, a large 

 city of Scotland, sea-trout weighing from three to four pounds sold at 

 the rate of twehe cents apiece. Can any one pretend that our people 

 would not be fortunate in sparing this wholesome and agreeable food 

 for a like good market? On the other side of the department of Manche 

 the mouths of the streams are allowed to be fished only every other day 

 by the fishermen, including the fishermen of the coast as well as those of 

 the streams ; why should it not be the same with us ? The salmon 

 fishery should close on September 1 instead of October 15 ; but to 

 make amends, it could open on January 1. Thus reproduction under 

 normal circumstances would be assured ; but on the condition, of course^ 

 of ascertaining by a strict inspection the manner in which the law is 

 obeyed by those living along the streams. 



"Fish-ways are unknown in our rivers of Bretagne. It requires^ 

 therefore, con6iderable water passing over the dams or slopes for the 

 fish to be able to surmount these obstacles and continue their ascent. 



