16 



the Ythan, it is understood that eleven stake-nets were 

 lately erected, all of which have been attended with more 

 or less success. And this mode of fishing is now also in 

 use at various places on the coast towards Peterhead, in 

 the Murray Frith, and in Cromarty Frith. 



But the practicability of this kind of fishing has re- 

 mained so completely unknown until the present time, 

 that although, in all the rivers, fishing grants have existed 

 from the earliest ages, --even at places where the fishery 

 is hardly worthy of attention, yet the right to the sea 

 fishing is still in the Crown. And at this moment, there 

 are under consideration of the Barons of Exchequer, a 

 number of applications by landed proprietors, for grants 

 of a right of fishing on the sea coast opposite to their re- 

 spective properties, which, if obtained, may ultimately 

 perhaps, become more valuable, in many instances, than 

 the land to which the fishings are naturally attached. 



All such applications are now opposed by the proprietors 

 of the river fisheries. And even where grants of sea fish- 

 ings have already been obtained, those proprietors per- 

 ceiving, that, by this new discovery, if its operation be not 

 checked, their monopoly will, after all, be equally endan- 

 gered, as it was formerly threatened to be, by the fishings 

 in the friths and estuaries, have again united to put an end 

 to the sea fishery also. The proprietors of the Don and the 

 Dee have instituted actions, to have it declared illegal 

 to fish with stake-nets in the open ocean. The proprie- 

 tors of the Findhorn have commenced proceedings, to put 

 an end to a stake-net fishery on the coast, eight miles dis- 

 tant from the mouth of their river. And the upper he- 

 ritors of the Tay and other rivers, are ready to lend their 

 aid ! Such is the state of things at this moment : The ac- 

 tions are in Court ; and, though no one will now believe 



