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ral protection to the fry from injury by the stake-nets; 

 for, although in most rivers, it would certainly be possible 

 to use such nets with success, at stations above the point 

 where the fry disappear, for example, farther up than 

 Carpow-bank in the Tay, yet at most places, the coble- 

 net might be used with equal, if not perhaps with greater 

 advantage *. It is chiefly in the open sea, and in the wide 

 friths and estuaries, that the superiority of stake-nets is 

 experienced- In the upper parts of rivers, the coble-net 

 may be extended from bank to bank, so as to intercept all 

 the fish which come into them ; thus accomplishing all 

 that could be expected from the most efficient stake-net, 

 and at infinitely less trouble and expence. In the sea 

 and the friths, however, more extended apparatus is in- 



* No stake-nets, it is believed, were ever erected in the 

 Tay, even so far up as Carpow Bank. But there seems to be 

 no reason to doubt that they might be successfully used even 

 as far up as Kinfauns. And it is the same in other rivers. 

 The chief difficulty arises from the navigation, which might be 

 materially interrupted were the use of stake-nets allowed at 

 the upper stations, where the river is narrow, unless they were 

 subjected to suitable regulations. But, at the same time, there 

 are two things which, perhaps, merit consideration. In thefast 

 place, would the stake-nets be a greater interruption than the 

 cruives or fishing dykes which are at present allowed to run 

 into rivers ? And, secondly, might not the navigation be in 

 some measure even benefited by the stake-nets, in as much as, 

 by obstructing the free course of the tide and so in effect con- 

 tracting the outlet of the water, they would have a tendency 

 to deepen the mid-channel of the river ? If any general legis- 

 lative measure shall be adopted in reference to the salmon 

 fishery of Scotland, careful provision should be made with re- 

 spect to the navigation of the rivers. 



