184 SALMON FISHING 



spite of adversity, salmon in fair numbers spawned 

 in the winter of 1905-1906." 



The BUREISHOOLE FISHERY, a range of loughs and 

 rivers in County Mayo, has been falling off during 

 the last twenty -five years. Mr. H. M. Anketell 

 Jones writes : 



"This is most noticeable as regards spring fish, 

 the number of which has been steadily decreasing 

 since the year 1864. In that year the spring fish 

 taken exceeded 300 ; for the ten years ended in 1889 

 the average had fallen to 109 ; at the close of the 

 next decade it had further fallen to 80 ; the average 

 for the last five years was only 71. The average 

 weight of the spring salmon has fallen 1*5 Ib. in 

 the last five years : from 11 Ibs. in 1901 to 9'5 Ibs. 

 in 1905. These averages are taken from the number 

 of fish taken up to May 31 in each year. During 

 the last few years, it would appear, more spring 

 salmon have been running late in the season, with 

 the grilse ; but, salmon and grilse counted together, 

 the decrease in the last twenty years is quite thirty 

 per cent. It is difficult to assign reasons definitely ; 

 but the chief causes seem to be insufficient pro- 

 tection during the close season, the funds at the 

 disposal of the Board of Conservators being barely 

 equal to meeting half the present expenditure; 

 the large increase in the number of seals, otters, 

 and cormorants; and the difficulty of stopping 

 poachers, the fishery laws being so lax that it is 

 not easy to obtain a conviction."" 



The CLAREGALWAY, in County Galway, though it 



