310 KNUT DAHL. 



If a regulation was issued, prohibiting the sale etc. oi sea- 

 trout and freshwater trout under 15 cm. and at the same time 

 there existed a prohibition against the sale of salmon fry, clearly 

 the sale of salmon fry would be impossible on the pretext of 

 their being young trout. 



However if it should be desirable to prevent the killing of 

 salmon fry (parr and smolts) when accidentally caught on hooks 

 or in other ways, a prohibition against wilfully killing salmon 

 fry would not be sufficient. Although anybody, even children, 

 may easily learn to distinguish the young of the salmon from 

 the young of the trout, such knowledge is by no means common. 

 According to my experience very jfew people, even including 

 fishermen, know the difference between the young of the two 

 species. 



It is thus evident that a prohibition against wilfully killing 

 salmon fry (parr and smolts) would have very little effect un- 

 less accompanied by a corresponding prohibition relating to trout, 

 when both species occurred in the same river. As already men- 

 tioned, no objection would be raised by the trout-fishers against 

 the eventual regulations containing a prohibition against wilfully 

 killing in salmon rivers young salmon and trout under 15 cm. 

 in length. By these means a sufficient protection would presu- 

 mably be offered to the young of both species. 



The only points relating to the protection of young trout, 

 which have not yet been discussed, are the closing of river- 

 mouths, and the provision which previously has been considered 

 most important, viz: the enforcing of a regulation minimum 

 mesh in net gear. In my opinion these 2 points may most con- 

 veniently be discussed simultaneously. 



Under the heading „Protection of young salmon" I have 

 not discussed the effect of the regulation as to the protection 

 of the infantile salmon; this 1 have omitted because it will be 

 perfectly clear from other arguments under that heading, that 

 no effect exists. 



