FISHES 



It is impossible to write on this subject without making some 

 mention of the great changes which have taken place, more especially 

 of late years, in our rivers. The rapid growth of our towns, and the 

 absence of systematic method in dealing with the resulting pollution 

 of the nearest streams, have caused many alterations in the distribution of 

 various species. Considerable portions of our water system are now so 

 polluted as to be absolutely useless for fishing purposes. Amongst others 

 we may mention the lower portion of the river Derwent from near 

 Little Eaton almost to its junction with the Trent, the Wye between 

 Buxton and Miller's Dale, and those rivers which traverse our coal 

 producing districts, such as the Rother and the Erewash. It is to be 

 hoped that the next few years will see great alterations in this respect, 

 for the present system of conveying all the sewage and waste products 

 to the nearest stream is disastrous when carried on in the neighbourhood 

 of a town, or indeed on any but a small scale. 



Perhaps the results of this system are more clearly shown in the 

 case of a large and conspicuous migratory fish like the salmon than any 

 other. The number of writers who have devoted their attention to the 

 fish of our county is exceedingly small, but many of the early books 

 on local and county history contain references to the importance of 

 the salmon fishery in former times. At present its extent is insig- 

 nificant : the Derwent is effectually barred, and only a few fish continue 

 to struggle up the Trent and Dove. 



The largest river which comes within our limits is that portion of 

 the Trent which flows through the southern part of the county. Its 

 principal Derbyshire tributaries are the Dove, which forms the boundary 

 between Staffordshire and Derbyshire, the Derwent and the Erewash 

 (all on the left bank). These rivers drain the greater part of the county, 

 but the north-eastern district is watered by the Rother and the tributary 

 streams which flow into the Don. From a fishing point of view the 

 most important of our rivers are the Trent, which produces an immense 

 quantity of coarse fish, and which is well looked after on the whole ; 

 the Dove, the upper waters of which produce trout and grayling and 

 the lower reaches chiefly coarse fish ; and the Derwent, with its tribu- 

 taries the Ashop or Noe, the Wye and the Amber. Here again the 

 upper waters produce chiefly trout and grayling, but coarse fish extend 

 much higher than in the Dove. It is almost unnecessary to say that 

 these rivers are carefully preserved, and that much has been done of late 

 years to improve the fishing by the establishment of fish hatcheries, and 

 the introduction of large quantities of artificially reared fry. 



Some attempts have been made to introduce new species, such as 



no 



