or none but spawning fish taken, and so every capture be 

 injurious, the fishery might, in the open ocean, be car- 

 ried on without any destruction of the spawning fish, and 

 without the slightest injury to the fry, which would then 

 be either in the fresh water, or imbedded in the depth 

 and stillness of the mid-stream. On the whole,, however, 

 from the great number of private interests, which are in- 

 volved in the question, as well as from other considerations, 

 the more expedient course seems to be, at once to put 

 down this plan of local or partial legislation. The best 

 and surest chance of legislating with advantage to the 

 public, is assuredly to introduce one broad and uniform 

 system, alike applicable to every possible diversity of sta- 

 tion. 



, Without, then, intending to say, absolutely, what ought 

 to be the duration of the fishing season, it may be sug- 

 gested generally, that the present period of its closing, 

 agreeably to the general regulation under the statute 

 3404, viz. 26th August, is, perhaps, not far from what 

 it should be. Some fishers, indeed, say, that so many 

 sound fish might Le caught after -26th August, with 

 comparatively little injury to the breeders, that the fish- 

 ing should be continued for a fortnight longer; there 

 .would remain, they say, a number of breeding fish, 

 fully sufficient for propagating the species, although 

 it were continued until the end of the first week of 

 September. But other fishers contend, that the season 

 , ought to close on the 1st of August. And between such 

 conflicting opinions, it is difficult to ascertain the truth. 



"With regard to the duration of the close or fence- lime , 



.and the period when the fishing should be allowed again 



to commence, all are agreed that it should be much 



.later than is prescribed by the general statute of 1404. 



