IMPROVEMENT OF FISHERIES 233 



run from I Ib. upwards, and fish of from 2 Ibs. to 

 3 Ibs. are not at all uncommon. In all these lakes 

 there is a constant and steady depletion of fish. 

 There is no attempt to replenish Buttermere and 

 Crummock with trout, but re-stocking with home- 

 reared fish goes on annually at Lowes water. How 

 this is done will be found under the head 

 " Smaller Lakes." 



Mr. S. Hart Jackson, the Honorary Clerk to the 

 Kent (Lake District) Fishery Board, informs me 

 that he does not know of any place in England 

 which is so full of good trout as Loweswater. 

 Crummock (the adjoining lake) he adds, "has a 

 very fair stock." 



The converse of this state of things is found in 

 Wastwater, Haweswater, and Ennerdale, where 

 trout swarm but are miserably small in size. 



The above facts are intended only to indi- 

 cate some general principles in this connection, 

 and to show that the improvement of a fishery 

 is more likely to be brought about by turning 

 to the best account the existing materials, rather 

 than by turning down fish. Than this, nothing 

 requires greater discrimination, and not unfre- 

 quently costly consignments of trout are wasted 

 by indiscriminate restocking. 



What has been already stated will show that 

 before any actual restocking is done, it is 

 absolutely necessary that a careful examination 

 should be made as to 



(1) The nature of the water into which the fish 

 are to be turned. 



(2) The kinds of fish already in it. 



(3) The stock it already contains. 



