53 



by the several and respective proprietors, and the several and 

 respective farmers deriving under them, for thirty-one years 

 past. Permission is given by this Act to fish in Lough Foyle 

 until the 1st day of September in every year. 



The 23d and 24th of George III. states, " Whereas several 

 weirs have been, and may be erected contrary to law, for the 

 purpose of catching fish, be it enacted by the authority afore- 

 said, that any person who shall conceive himself to be injured 

 by the erection of or continuance of such weir, may serve a 

 notice on the proprietor, or any of the proprietors of the said 

 weir, or, in his or their absence, on his or their known agent 

 or agents, desiring him or them to abate such weir ; and that 

 if in one month after such notice shall be served, such weir 

 shall not be abated, that in every such case every such pro- 

 prietor shall forfeit the sum of twenty shillings for every day 

 that the said weir shall be continued after such notice : provided 

 always that no such suit shall be entertained, whereon tl.ere 

 shall appear to have been any title for the erection of the said 

 weir." By the 26th of George III. c. 50, it is enacted that 

 " nothing herein contained shall be construed to extend to the 

 prostrating of any weir or weirs of which the proprietor or 

 proprietors have had an uninterrupted possession for a space of 

 thirty-one years, or who hold said weir or weirs by a patent or 

 charter grant. No person is empowered to appoint water- 

 keepers who has not a freehold estate of fifty pounds per 

 annum value." 



By the 33d of George III. it is enacted, that " from and after 

 the passing of this Act, it shall not be lawful for any person to 

 take, kill, or destroy any salmon, salmon peale, or salmon fry, in 

 the sea, at the mouth of rivers, or within one mile of the mouth 

 of any river, during such seasons, or times, as the taking of 

 salmon in such river is by law now of force forbidden, every per- 

 son so offending to forfeit five pounds : also that it shall not be 

 lawful for any person or persons to fish with a rod or otherwise 

 in any several fishery, without the license of the proprietor or 

 farmer thereof." By the 26th of George III. it is enacted that 

 every person found angling without the consent of the owner 



