52 



shannon river. The Act of the 2d year of George I., and 

 also the 8th year of George I., enacts penalties against the 

 killing of the spawning fish in certain months of the year, and 

 declares that by such practices the salmon fishery in this 

 kingdom is most extremely decayed. The 12th George I. 

 c. 7, enacts, " that no person or persons whatsoever, except 

 such as have an estate of freehold in his or their own, or their 

 wives' right, of the clear yearly value of forty pounds per 

 annum, or a personal estate of the value of one thousand 

 pounds at the least, over and above all debts by him owing ; 

 and except such person or persons as is, are, or shall be en- 

 titled to any fishery or fisheries within this kingdom, or their 

 farmer or farmers, and such person or persons as are, or shall 

 be, lawfully employed in the same, shall make, have or keep 

 any goflf, net or nets, or any engine to take or kill salmon, 

 even though no proof can be made that he or they did apply 

 them to such use. Penalty forty shillings, and forfeiture of the 

 engines also." 



By the Act 3 1st year of George II., it is enacted that none 

 shall fish with any net, fishing-rod, or other instrument, be- 

 tween the 12th day of August and the 1st day of February ; 

 penalty five pounds, on conviction of such offence ; or any 

 proprietor or farmer of a salmon-fishery, who shall at any time 

 between the 12th day of August and 1st day of January in any 

 year, be accessary to the killing or taking of salmon in any 

 river, shall, on conviction, forfeit forty shillings for every 

 salmon so taken. Certain rivers are excepted by this Act. 



The 3d George III. c. 35, recites the Act of George II., 

 and enacts that no person except the farmer or proprietor shall 

 fish in the river Earn, or salmon-fishery of Ballyshannon, be- 

 tween the 12th day of August and the 1st day of May; and 

 if any person shall offend therein, every such offender shall, 

 for every such offence, forfeit the sum of five pounds, over and 

 above the boats and nets ; and also declares that the limits and 

 bounds of all and every salmon fishery in this kingdom is, and 

 are hereby deemed and understood to be, such as they have 

 been severally and respectively held, possessed, and enjoyed 



