90 ENGLISH LAKE DISTRICT FISHERIES 



Another reason assigned for the deterioration is 

 on account of the enormous increase of perch in 

 the lake. Netting perch for sale was done away 

 with about twenty-five years ago, and the great 

 increase is consequent upon this. In these cir- 

 cumstances there is always the risk of the fish 

 in the lake overtaxing the food-supply, and as 

 fish increase in numbers they degenerate in size. 

 This fact is very forcibly demonstrated in Coniston. 

 Both trout and perch swarm in the lake, but are 

 very small in size. The only remedy is systematic 

 netting ; and in doing this there need not be the 

 slightest fear that the fishery will be injured. The 

 opposite effect will be the result ; and this may be 

 looked for about the end of the second season 

 after the netting is first commenced. 



For many years perch have been increasing in 

 Ullswater, until now they are in great abundance, 

 but small in size. They are not netted, and afford 

 neither food nor sport. Netting them, on account 

 of their small size, would not be remunerative ; 

 but, unless the various fisheries in the lake are to be 

 permanently injured, serious netting will have to be 

 done sooner or later. At one time, perch of i Ib. 

 in weight were not uncommon, and I \ Ib. fish, and 

 upwards, have been taken ; but such perch rarely, if 

 ever, occur now-a-days. What are captured are 

 mainly fingerlings. 



Richardson was an accurate observer, and he 

 refers to perch of 5 Ibs. in weight, as witness the 

 following : 



" Bass is the usual name for them [perch] here [Ullswater] ; 

 in an inquisition, taken in the time of Queen Elizabeth, they 

 are called Basse, Barce, and Barcelles. They never go out 

 of the lake ; they deposit their spawn among weeds near the 



