208 SALMON FISHING 



but recently expired, accurate information is not 

 available. It is not doubted, however, that there 

 has been a considerably larger falling -off* in the 

 number of fish in the Gweebarra than in the Owenea. 

 The probable reasons are drift-net fishing, more 

 poaching, and the absence of a hatchery. In these 

 mountain rivers the period and the amount of the 

 rainfall affect the angling so much that returns would 

 only mislead. The netting methods having remained 

 the same, the commercial returns over a fair period 

 give a trustworthy indication of the number of fish 

 in a river. 



The BANN, in County Antrim, which once yielded 

 good sport from Lough Neagh to the sea, has come 

 into evil days. A Justice of the Peace resident at 

 Dunmurry, who himself, unhappily, has been pre- 

 vented by illness from seeking sport during recent 

 years, writes : 



"My sons have been fishing in the river, and 

 have reported to me from time to time. There are 

 three causes from which fishing in Ireland suffers : 

 poaching in season and out of season; pollution 

 and poisoning of rivers; and soft-headed Lords- 

 Lieutenant, who invariably remit any fines which 

 the Magistrates impose on law-breakers. The rivers 

 in the north are every year poisoned by flax water 

 for about two months, more or less, according to 

 the state of the streams ; those in the south by 

 lime and bleaching powder. In England, I believe, 

 crime of this kind is punished by confinement and 

 hard labour ; but in Ireland impositions of fines 



