150 FISHING FOR PLEASURE 



years, or a hundred for that matter; there is over- 

 netting doubtless, that unfortunately is the case 

 with nearly all our salmon rivers, but I fear the 

 chief sinner is the gas company if it is a 

 company at Bettws-y-Coed. I know, from ex- 

 perience of the effect of refuse from gasworks 

 on fisheries in all parts of the country, that 

 nothing is so deadly to fish life, except bleach 

 from paper mills. Consequently, when I saw 

 the gasometer within a few yards of the Church 

 Pool at Bettws-y-Coed, I said to Mr. Jones, 

 " If the refuse from that gasworks goes into the 

 Conway, I am not surprised at the salmon 

 fishing falling off." 



From the letter of a Conway Salmon Angler, 

 which I have before me, I fear there is no doubt 

 the refuse does get into the river. He says: 



" With regard to the gasworks, I believe the 

 waste runs directly into the river; at any rate, 

 opposite the works in low water a pipe can be 

 seen which continually discharges limey-looking 

 water into the Church Pool." He adds: "In 

 past days, too, there is no doubt that the lead 

 mines have done a tremendous lot of damage, 

 whilst in addition Llanrwst, Bettws-y-Coed, and 

 other places on the river gaily and daily pour 

 their sewage into it, polluting the water and 

 sickening the fish." 



The Conway has always been, and must natur- 

 ally always be, an " uncertain " salmon river, 

 simply because its water supply is so uncertain 



