IRELAND 199 



Holy Cross was all good some years ago ; but latterly 

 it has been so only in a few places where the fish 

 rest on their journey to the upper waters. About 

 thirty years ago the Conservators attempted to 

 protect the river generally, and the spawning beds 

 in particular, and were very successful; but, un- 

 fortunately, the work could not be continued. Lack 

 of funds arose from the mistake made by the Con- 

 servators in buying a steam launch to protect the 

 waters below Waterford, where there are some very 

 narrow reaches, easily swept by nets at night. The 

 launch was a costly failure. It has ever since pre- 

 vented the protection of the spawning beds. The 

 Conservators had to borrow the money to buy, 

 repair, and keep the craft in order and in commis- 

 sion. In a few years the launch had to be got rid 

 of. Had there been sufficient funds at the disposal 

 of the Board it would have done much good in 

 preventing poaching in the tidal waters. The 

 launch, I think, was bought under the impression 

 that the funds would increase; but, unfortunately, 

 the country became unsettled, and many of the 

 upper fisheries could not be let. During the last 

 sixteen or seventeen years the fishing on the upper 

 waters has become gradually worse, and now very few 

 men care to fish at all. In my own case the drop 

 in the number of salmon caught has been from 

 thirty-one to none. 



"There are various causes for the decline. The 

 chief cause is the neglect of the spawning beds. 

 The fish are killed as soon as they have gone up. 



