30 Angling Travels in Norway. 



The yearly captures both by net and rod were growing 

 " smaller by degress and beautifully less," and the reason 

 was patent to all, but no measures were adopted to avert 

 the disaster until the energetic protests of visitors from the 

 British Isles — lessees of rivers — so far impressed the native 

 authorities that at length the weekly close-time for nets 

 was lengthened by a day, and the size of the mesh was 

 also increased. 



The latter restriction, however, was not to come into 

 force until three years after the law was passed, and 

 although the delay was to be regretted, it was only fair 

 to grant the fishermen a reasonable time to wear out their 

 nets then in use. 



The new law regulating the size of mesh was, however, 

 more fortunate than that which increased the weekly close- 

 time, for the latter, to the great disappointment of those 

 who have the true interests of the rivers at heart, was 

 cancelled within a year of its introduction for political 

 purposes by the same Government which passed it. 



The various forms of net are not removed bodily from 

 the water, but in most instances have merely the guiding- 

 arm shifted; in others, the entrance to the bag is shut while 

 the guiding-arm remains in position. Again, some nets 

 and traps have an exit at the extremity of the bag 

 which is opened during close-time. 



I have frequently landed grilse weighing exactly four 



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4" 



