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immense number of Salmon is caught in the sea, and in 

 the friths, that there is great danger that the species will 

 become altogether extinct. 



The secret ground, however, of this objection, is an ap- 

 prehension on the part of the upper heritors in rivers, that 

 the produce of their fisheries would be very greatly reduced. 



That an extension of the salmon fishery by means of 

 stake-nets, would be deeply injurious to these heritors, by 

 at once breaking in upon their present monopoly, is un- 

 doubted. But this, so far from being prejudicial to the 

 public, has already been shewn to be a very great benefit, 

 and consequently to afford an insuperable argument in 

 favour of the extension of the new mode of fishing. 

 And it is not true, that the introduction of stake-nets 

 at the fisheries of the lower heritors, would, in any other 

 way, affect the interests of the upper heritors, than as an 

 opening up of their monopoly. 



It is not necessary to dispute, that an immense num- 

 ber of Salmon might be caught by stake-nets, if the use of 

 them was freely allowed, as it ought to be, in the friths 

 and estuaries, and all along the open shores of the sea. 

 It is the immense increase in the produce of the fish- 

 ery, which would follow from the permission of stake- 

 nets, that forms one chief ground for desiring a re- 

 visal and amendment of this part of the existing law. 

 The produce of the fishery would possibly exceed all that 

 has ever been contemplated.* But it is a vulgar error to 



* The progress of stake-net fishing, has hitherto been re- 

 tarded, both by its fluctuating and hazardous character, and 

 by the want of persons of sufficient capital, knowledge, and 

 experience, to prosecute the fishery. To construct a stake- 

 net properly, while it requires some capital, and an inti- 



