AND THEIR INHABITANTS. l6l 



I ought also to name to you the uncommon destruc- 

 tion of the fry which frequently happens when they 

 are hastening to the sea by the stopping of a mill-race 

 with thorns, and then letting the water off some way 

 by which it has been known that a cartload of fry 

 have been taken at once. 



" I named to you the kind of weirs which ought to 

 be made out of tide-mark, to increase the depth of 

 every river in the middle, by which a more equal 

 chance would be given to all fishermen to come in 

 for their due share, and at much less trouble and 

 expense than they have hitherto been put to, and 

 would besides open a free passage for the fish 

 whenever they instinctively ascend to the proper 

 spawning-ground. 



" (Signed) THOMAS BEWICK." 



A good many years passed before much benefit 

 was done in the way of protection to the fisheries 

 on the Tyne, but when, about twelve years ago, 

 energetic measures were set on foot, the advantages 

 were soon apparent. None could fish without a 

 license. In 1867 salmon became more plentiful than 

 they had been known for generations. A writer in 

 Land and Water for that year says, that we may fairly 

 say the produce of the river was well over ten thousand 

 fish. It is stated that some of the salmon weighed 

 as much as from 30 to 40 Ib. The fish when 

 not full-grown is called grilse ; it is not equal 

 in flavour to the full-grown fish. The same writer 

 further on in the season says : " The fishery continues 

 to be very good indeed ; I heard of one which was 

 sold at Gateshead weighing 43 Ib. One was caught 

 if 



