44 BRITISH FISH AND FISHERIES. 



Billick, near Ballyshannon ; the Boyne, above 

 Drogheda ; and several others. Contrary to 

 \vhat has occurred in the Scotch rivers, the 

 Irish salmon fisheries have increased of late 

 years. Down to 1823, the average produce of 

 the Irish salmon fisheries did not exceed 40 

 tons, but from that period it has increased to 

 an average of 140 or 150 tons (120 pounds to 

 each cwt.) The sales of salmon, caught in the 

 Bann, Foyle, arid Moy, in 1835, amounted in 

 Liverpool to 9,000; Manchester 5,000; 

 Bristol, 400 ; Glasgow, 550 ; Dublin, 300; 

 London (pickled), 400 ; and in the neighbour- 

 hood of the rivers, 1,800. Total, 17,450. 



In June, 1846, the Fourth Annual Report of 

 the Commissioners of Public Works on the 

 subject of the Fisheries of Ireland was presented 

 to parliament. The result of it is, that, 

 throughout 1845, there has been, on the whole, 

 a steady, though slow progress towards im- 

 provement in the general fisheries of the 

 country. The commissioners conclude their 

 observations with these remarks and proposals 

 (in speaking of the salmon fisheries and the 

 close season) : 



" To the proposition of a uniform close season 

 for the sea and tideways, we apprehend no 

 well-founded objection can be advanced, 



