534 SALMON LEGlSLA TION IN SCOTLAND. 







Poaching goes on in many districts at present with im- 

 punity, notably on the Tweed and on the west coast of 

 Argyllshire. When committed in close time the penalties 

 should be cumulative both for fishing without a title, and 

 for fishing in close time. Power should be given to 

 watchers and police to stop and search all suspicious 

 persons, and everything belonging to them, wherever found, 

 without a warrant, and, if fish is found in their possession, 

 they should be held guilty of contravening the Act, unless 

 they can prove that they came by the fish legally. It is 

 thought this would be an improvement on the 2 5th section 

 of the Act of 1868. The impunity with which poachers 

 are allowed openly to carry on their practices on the 

 Tweed is equalled, if not surpassed, in the case of the 

 " scringers " on the west coast of Argyllshire. Seeing that 

 there is so much difficulty in catching these people in the 

 act, other methods must be adopted, as, although the law 

 has made what would appear sufficient provision for deal- 

 ing with the offence, it seems to have proved of little use. 

 What is necessary, is some plan to prevent the disposal of 

 the fish, which at present seems as easy as in the case of 

 fish legally taken. If every box or package of salmon 

 entered for transmission at a railway station or harbour 

 had to have an official permit or brand affixed to it, with- 

 out which confiscation by the railway or harbour officials 

 would be compulsory ; and if no unpacked salmon were 

 allowed to be sold at any quay, or to any person without 

 the production by the seller of a licence by the chief 

 constable or district board, showing that he was legally 

 entitled to fish salmon the buyer to be punished equally 

 with the seller for breach of this regulation a sensible 

 diminution of the reprehensible practice would soon be 

 effected, at least in the more serious cases. If a com- 



