204 SALMON FISHING 



from the upper proprietors, the Inspectors of Irish 

 Fisheries allowed the nets at the mouth of the river 

 to begin twelve days earlier in the year. The result 

 was that in 1887 there was a large decrease, and 

 that by 1890 the number of fish caught fell to 

 100. About that time the Inspectors took off the 

 twelve days put on in 1880. For some years there 

 was but little result my experience is that it takes 

 five or six years to bring a perceptible change ; 

 but during the last four years there has been a 

 steady improvement. This, I believe, is largely 

 attributable to a hatchery I have here. It is now 

 subsidised by the Agricultural Department. 



" The numbers of fry turned out are as follow : 



1895 . 75,000 First year of working. 



1896 . 500,000 



1897 . 800,000 



1898 . 500,000 



1899 - 350,000 



1900 . 800,000 



1901 . 181,000 High floods ; could not get fish. 



1902 . 1,295,000 



1903 . 1,106,000 



1904 . 382,000 High floods. 



1905 . 1,345,000 



1906 Expect to have over one and a half million. 



"My opinion is that the rivers in Ireland are over- 

 netted, and that all nets in fresh water should be 

 removed." 



The GLYDE, in County Louth and County Meath, 

 seems to be in an anomalous condition. Sir Henry 



