47 



But although there could be no direct comparison be- 

 tween the produce of the river, as a whole, before the use 

 of stake-nets, and the corresponding total produce after 

 their introduction, yet it was possible to institute a com- 

 parison in so far as respected the particular fisheries no- 

 ticed in both statements. This comparison, accordingly, 

 (and it will be kept in recollection, that the upper heritors 

 themselves had selected the fisheries), demonstrated, that, 

 at those fisheries at least, there had been no perceptible 

 diminution in the produce. Thus, at the Earl of Mans- 

 field's fishery, in the upper part of the Tay, the average 

 produce was as follows, viz. 



Salmon. Grilses.' 



For ten years preceding 1798 10,324 1,692 



For do. subsequent to do. - 11,694 3,326 





INCREASE, during the time when 

 stake-nets were in use in the frith 

 below .... 1,370 1, 



was recalled in the immediately ensuing year, there was not a 

 stake-net in the Frith ; and the produce this year, at the upper 

 fisheries, appears to have been 11,732 fish. In the following 

 year, 1805, the stake-nets were restored, and in active operation ; 

 and the produce of the upper fisheries, of the coble-nets, 

 was no less than 25,527. Thus, when there were no stake- 

 nets at the lower fisheries, there was a scarcity of fish at the 

 upper fisheries : But plenty returned to the coble-net fishings 

 when the stake-nets were restored in the Frith. The explana- 

 tion of this anomaly is to be found in the fluctuating nature of 

 the fishery, depending on causes totally unknown. This 



