SALMON FISHERY. 53 



catching, chasing, or disturbing the salmon, or in 

 cases where a salmon, or part of a salmon, is found in 

 his possession during the 168 days of the close or 

 protecting salmon. I need not say that the protection 

 of a fishery in the breeding season requires great 

 vigilance, and can only be conducted at a great ex- 

 pense ; but where this is done efficiently, and the 

 fish are allowed to deposit their eggs undisturbed, it 

 is found that their powers of reproduction are so 

 great, as to amply repay all expenses. 



Similar protection is given to the salmon in the 

 breeding season upon the Scotch fisheries, the funds 

 for which are raised from the proprietors, according 

 to the annual value or the rent of each fishery. 



In Ireland the law enables proprietors of fisheries 

 to erect salmon ladders over mill weirs and natural 

 obstructions, by means of which the fish are enabled 

 to ascend the upper streams, where alone they can 

 safely deposit their spawn, thereby' increasing the 

 productive powers by extending the area of the breed- 

 ing-ground. No doubt the sea can fatten the fish, 

 but it is indispensable they should first be bred, as 

 the quantity to be caught entirely depends upon the 

 quantity that has been bred, and that again depends 

 upon the extent of breeding ground, with ample pro- 

 tection for the fish in the breeding season. 



As a similar code of laws is now in force in France, 

 there can be no doubt of the good results that will 

 arise if they should be effectively administered, as 

 without such laws any fishery property would become 

 comparatively valueless, and the public would soon 

 be deprived of a large supply of valuable and nutri- 

 trious food. 



