INDUSTRIES 



THE RAVENGLASS FISHERIES 



The estuary of Ravenglass is formed by 

 the confluence of three rivers which discharge 

 themselves into the sea at that place. The 

 Irt, which flows from Wastwater, approaches 

 the estuary from the north, its course having 

 been deflected by banks of sand on the sea 

 shore. The Esk, which rises on the shoulder 

 of Crossfell, meeting with the same obstruc- 

 tion, makes a bend towards the north a little 

 below Waberthwaite church. The Mite 

 occupies a central position. The combined 

 waters of the three rivers have forced an 

 opening through the sand banks to the sea, 

 thus forming a spacious harbour on which the 

 town is situated. The projecting tongues of 

 sandhills approaching each other from the 

 north and south, known as Drigg Common 

 and Esk Meals, unite to make a natural har- 

 bour within which there is anchorage for 

 small vessels. At high tides the depth of the 



estuary could register at least 2O feet on the 

 bar. At low water nothing is seen but a 

 wide expanse of sand fringed by a massive 

 line of sandhills in the distance, with a streak 

 of fresh water running through it as the com- 

 bined rivers flow to the open sea. In days 

 gone by, the natural advantages for anchorage 

 made Ravenglass a port of considerable trade 

 and importance for that district, but for many 

 years past that is, since the opening of the 

 Furness railway it has been on the decline. 

 The visit of a ship or trading boat is now 

 an event of rare occurrence. 



The fisheries in this estuary, owing chiefly 

 to the smallness of the streams which dis- 

 charge themselves into it, have never been 

 comparatively of great importance. The 

 following schedule will give some idea of 

 their productiveness as well as the size of fish 

 taken in these waters. 



SEA TROUT AND SALMON TAKEN AT THE NET FISHERIES AT RAVENGLASS 



It is admitted by the netsmen that the 

 fisheries at Ravenglass during the four seasons 

 ending with 1901 have been on the decline 

 when compared with prior seasons. This 

 fact, together with a short study of the above 

 table, may show that no progress has been 

 made in fish production since the formation 

 of the West Cumberland Fishery District in 

 1879. 



Of the three rivers, the Irt, Esk and Mite, 

 falling into the sea at Ravenglass, the Irt is 

 the most important considered as to the num- 

 ber of sea trout and salmon ascending. Three 



draught nets are generally in use by the 

 riparian owners on this river : one at Drigg 

 by Mr. Hodgkin, another at Holmrook by 

 Mr. C. R. F. Lutwidge, and a third by Sir 

 Thomas Brocklebank of Greenlands. But 

 their use is not regular, and during some 

 seasons it is understood no netting takes place. 

 The river Esk, although many fine fish 

 run up it, is inferior to the Irt as to num- 

 bers. No net was used on the Esk above 

 Ravenglass during 1901. The river Mite 

 being small has only a few sea trout, with an 

 occasional grilse, that run up it. It is not 



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