OF ENGLAND. 7 



The Act of 1472, for taking away Weirs and Fish 

 Garths. 



The Act of 1531, for the pulling down of Piles 

 and Fish Garthes in the Rivers Ouse and Humber. 



The Act of 1558, for the Preservation of Spawn 

 and Fry of Fish. 



The Act of 1714, " For the better preservation of 

 salmon (in the seventeen rivers referred to in the 

 annexed table; be it farther enacted that if any person 

 shall lay or draw any kind of nets, engines, or other 

 devices, or wilfully do or cause anything to be done 

 whereby the spawn or fry of salmon, not being in 

 length eighteen inches from the eye to the middle of 

 the tail, shall be killed; OR SHALL hereafter make, 

 erect, or set any bank, dam, hedge, or stank, net or 

 nets, across the said rivers, whereby the salmon 

 therein may be taken or hindered from passing or 

 going up the said rivers to spawn, &c. ; every person 

 so offending who shall be convicted thereof shall 

 forfeit the sum of 5 for every such offence, besides 

 the fish taken, and the nets and engines used, or shall 

 be committed to prison for three months, and the 

 justices shall order such nets, engines, and devices 

 made use of, to be seized and cut in pieces or de- 

 stroyed in his presence, and shall also cause such 

 banks, dams, hedges, or stanks, made or erected 

 across the said river, to be demolished and removed 

 at the charges of such offenders." 



It is therefore evident how much importance 

 the public, in former days, attached to a systematic 

 protection of a nutritious and valuable article of 

 commerce, and cheap food for the people, produced 

 without cost from the public, by our English Salmon 

 Rivers. The follow ing return of the loss of spawning 

 area of the seventeen rivers mentioned in the Act of 

 1714 will shew the damage which has been going on 

 during the last 100 years or thereabouts. 



