162 SALMON FISHING 



deteriorated. The Girvan suffered from pollution, 

 which has now been put an end to ; the fishing of 

 the upper waters, I understand, improved while it 

 continued. The fishing on the whole suffered ; but 

 steps towards restoration are being carefully con- 

 sidered. The pools are not netted at present. That 

 is in virtue of a five years' agreement, which has been 

 once renewed. 1 ' 



The NITH, many years ago, had a deservedly high 

 reputation. Tradition tells that thirty or forty 

 years ago the fish were so plentiful that in certain 

 places they could almost be lifted out. Now, alas ! 

 but little of this opulence remains. Mr. T. G. 

 Salmon, an experienced sportsman, writes : 



"For ten years the salmon have been becoming 

 fewer, and for three the river has been a failure. On 

 the twelve miles of upper water in Dumfriesshire three 

 seasons ago the catch was only twenty-two salmon ; 

 next year it was about a dozen; this year, 1905, as far 

 as I can find, only four. The lower waters have been 

 not less unprofitable. The only nets on the Nith 

 are at its entrance into the Sol way at Glencaple. 

 This year has been ruinous to the lessee. Sea-trout 

 and herling were fairly plentiful until about three 

 years ago ; but the Nith never could show a large 

 run of herling, such as can be seen, for example, in 

 the Annan. Grilse have been absent for a good 

 many years. This state of matters can hardly be 

 attributed to pollution. True, nearly every day 

 there may be about an hour when there is a 

 suspicion of coal gum, supposed to come from work- 



