158 



A VIEW OF THE STATUTE LAWS RELATING TO THE 

 SALMON AND CHANNEL-FISHERIES. 



THERE can be no stronger proof that the com- 

 plaint of the scarcity of fish, particularly of the 

 salmon kind, is well founded, than the present 

 deplorable state of the fisheries. That salmon 

 should formerly, even within the memory of man, 

 be sold at from a penny to twopence per pound, 

 and now at from two to three shillings, is demon- 

 stration that there is an error somewhere. There 

 does not appear to be any physical cause for it in 

 this part of the kingdom ; and therefore such 

 scarcity must entirely proceed from the defects oi 

 the laws, the indifference with which they are 

 regarded, the laxity with which they are put in 

 force, and the various mal-practices of those who 

 evade them. I shall not, in this place, add more 

 upon the subject, but will at once proceed to 

 examine those laws chronologically, and subjoin 

 such observations as their nature suggests ; at the 

 same time pointing out the destructive practices 

 by which they are evaded. 



I have already exhibited the substance of an 

 act embodying the whole subject, and rendering 

 all other acts unnecessary; which, if put into 



