CHAP, v.] THE ENGLISH SALMON-FISHERIES. 217 



hibition of killing unclean or unseasonable fish at any time 

 of the year, and an enactment that all such fish caught during 

 the fishing season should be returned to the water. 



Much curiosity has existed as to the results achieved by 

 the Tweed Acts, the first really stringent code enforced on any 

 British river ; and although statistics in such matters, unless 

 taken over very extended periods, are not to be too implicitly 

 relied on, and much allowance must be made for the varia- 

 tions caused by weather and unfavourable seasons during so 

 short a period as has elapsed, yet it is well worth while to 

 ascertain what can be learned concerning this experiment. 

 With this view I have consulted the very valuable and inter- 

 esting series of tables which have been compiled and printed 

 for private circulation by Alexander Robertson, Esq., one of 

 the Tweed Commissioners, and a director of the Berwick Ship- 

 ping Company. A brief reference to the figures in these 

 tables shows at once whether or not there has been an im- 

 provement in the fishing. The total capture of salmon, grilse, 

 and trout, in Tweed for the six years preceding 1857 was 

 50,209 salmon, 153,515 grilse, and 294,418 trout ; making a 

 yearly average of 8368 salmon, 25,586 grilse, and 49,069 trout. 

 In the six years succeeding the Act viz. 1858 to 1863 the 

 total capture was 60,726 salmon, 124,182 grilse, and 175,538 

 trout; being an average of 10,121 salmon, 20,697 grilse, and 

 29,256 trout. These are improving figures, taking into account 

 that the fishing season had been curtailed by a period of four 

 weeks. The total rent of the river in 1857 was about 5000 ; 

 it is now above 7500, and is on the rise. 



The English salmon-fisheries, generally speaking, have been 

 allowed to fall into so low a state that I fear it will be im- 

 possible to recruit them in a moderate period of time without 

 foreign aid. Some of the rivers, indeed, are as nearly as 

 possible salmonless. It is difficult to select an English river 

 that will in all respects compare with the Tay, but the Severn 



