ON THE CHANNEL-FISHERIES. 79 



may convict any offender against this Act on the 

 oath of one credible witness. And be it further 

 enacted, that either on the report of such conser- 

 vator, or on the mere motion of the said magistrates, 

 it shall be lawful for any three magistrates assem- 

 bling and acting together, to take a view of such 

 rivers and branches thereof, and if they find any 

 impediments therein which prevent the free passage 

 of such salmon and fish, such gratings at fish coops, 

 or at mill leats, or any weir so constructed and 

 without an escape for the salmon and fish, so as 

 that such salmon and fish cannot pass and repass, 

 or that any weir or fish coop or other device is so 

 constructed as such magistrates shall deem and con- 

 sider improper and injurious to such salmon fishery 

 and fisheries, by not being passable and repassable, 

 it shall and may be lawful for such magistrates to 

 give notice in writing to the person or persons 

 claiming such weir or other obstructions as afore- 

 said, to remove the same within one month from 

 the delivery of such notice, and to amend such weir 

 in such way with an escape therein, and to remove 

 such obstructions* as will enable such salmon and 



* In the preamble of the statute of 4>th Anne, c. 21. which 

 only relates to the rivers of Southampton and Wilts, it is stated 

 that, "Whereas the owners or occupiers of the salmon fisheries 

 " regarding only their own private and greedy profit to destroy 

 " the stock of the fisheries, by preventing the breed of good 

 " fish to pass in season through their fishing wyres and fishing 

 " hatchways from the sea into the rivers to spawn, and by 

 *' killing such as are under size, and by fishing continually out 

 " of season at and in the said fishing wyres and creekes of the 



