SALMON LEGISLA TION IN SCO TLAND. 54 1 



it were, extended for five miles straight out into the sea. The Tweed. 

 This last extension has been productive of some dissatis- 

 faction among the fishermen, owing to the rule of inter- 

 national law fixing three miles as the limits of British 

 waters, the result of course being that the outermost two 

 miles are open to foreign fishermen, while they are forbidden 

 to our own. The deprivation, however, is not of great im- 

 portance, and it is worthy of notice that the regulation in 

 question has been repeated in every Act passed since the 

 first, almost a century ago, and also that the Special Com- 

 missioners appointed in 1875 to enquire into the operation 

 of the Tweed Acts, after due enquiry, did not think it 

 necessary to advise any alteration. 



CLOSE TIME. 



The annual close time in the Tweed extends only to 

 1 54 days, the same as in England. Although it does not 

 appear that the majority of proprietors wish for any 

 alteration of this period, it was recommended by the Com- 

 missioners of 1875 that it be extended to 167 days, that is, 

 from Hth September to 15th February, at which it is 

 now fixed, to from i$th September to 28th February, both 

 inclusive, for nets, and for rods that it should be altered to 

 1 5th November to 28th February, both inclusive, the 

 present period being 3Oth November to 1st February. 



No change of the weekly close time (36 hours) is 

 recommended by the Commissioners, though we do not see 

 why the benefit which would be derived should not be as 

 great as it has proved in the case of Scotland generally. 

 They, however, recommend the " double slap," alluded to at 

 P- 533- The weekly close time at present extends from six 

 o'clock on Saturday evening to six o'clock on Monday 

 morning. 



