SALMON FISHING 



unfortunately, have not been carried out. The 

 consequence is that the bed of the river for miles 

 is covered with a collection of old meat tins and 

 boots, while every bush has its fringe of filthy rags 

 and tatters, old trousers, coats, petticoats, even beds ; 

 and it is easy to conceive what the result is on 

 the fish in a hot summer when the water is low. 

 Added to this is the sewage of Rhayader, Builth, 

 and Hay, besides what comes down the Ithon and 

 Irvon from Llandrindod and Llanwrtyd. Thus, 

 pollution may be said to have something to do with 

 the downward course of the river. (2) Loss of 

 water must be attributed to the Birmingham works. 

 All the flood water that should have come down 

 the Elan has been stored to fill the reservoirs. 

 Consequently, the fish that could get to the upper 

 reaches were very few. (3) With the progress of 

 pollution the coarse fish, such as dace and chub and 

 pike, have greatly increased. Owing to the rough 

 and rocky nature of the bed of the river, it is very 

 difficult to net them. Our Conservancy Board con- 

 tracted the river out of the Coarse Fish Protection 

 Act. Consequently, there is no close time for pike 

 or other coarse fish ; yet, in spite of this, the increase 

 is enormous, and in many parts of the river trout 

 have almost disappeared. (4) The Upper Wye is 

 seriously overstocked with otters. I think these 

 kill more coarse fish than salmon ; but they do 

 undoubtedly injure the sport, far more than people 

 are aware of, by putting down the fish and prevent- 

 ing them rising. If an otter has been through your 



