228 SALMON FISHING 



finds its way to the sea nearer the boundary between 

 Devon and Somerset. The rivers hold salmon and 

 sea-trout. Of salmon, I am informed by Mr. J. M. 

 Pope, of Spence Combe, Coppleston, there is perhaps 

 a larger stock than there was a few years ago, and 

 the run when the rain came last autumn was ampler 

 than had been seen for years. Still, the fish are 

 sadly fewer than were those of the 'seventies. The 

 spring run has improved during the last twenty 

 years. An excellent fisherman, one who has lived 

 all his life on the banks of the Taw, well remembers 

 the first spring-run salmon he ever saw caught or 

 had heard of. The size of the fish is apparently 

 becoming larger. One of 26J Ibs. was caught early 

 last year. As to the increase in the number of spring 

 fish no satisfactory explanation has been found. 

 The slight improvement in the number of autumn 

 fish is probably accounted for by a decrease of 

 poaching in the estuaries. The rivers above their 

 estuaries are practically unpolluted; but the net 

 fishermen complain that when the rivers are low the 

 sewage of Barnstaple causes the salmon to return to 

 the sea. Sea-trout, locally called peal, also have 

 multiplied in recent years. They have partially 

 recovered from the depletion of their stock caused 

 by a bye-law fixing the size of the net-mesh at 1J 

 inch from knot to knot. The bye-law was repealed 

 many years ago. As drift nets, which are particu- 

 larly successful against these fish, have been pro- 

 hibited, a further increase is hoped for. Passes should 

 be built at the weirs on the Torridge just above 



