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Notes of the Acts of Parliament relating to the Tweed, with 

 Statistics of the Fisheries. By Robert Douglas. 



The earliest legislation for the regulation of the Fisheries 

 in the Tweed, was made by the Scottish parliament in the 

 time of King Robert the Bruce, when an Act was passed 

 '^ Anent the preservation of Salmonde." Several subsequent 

 Acts were also passed which then, as now, referred to the 

 same sources of contention — the annual close time — the re- 

 moving of obstructions to the run of the fish, &c. The 

 penalties then imposed were, however, much more severe 

 than they are now, and shew that poaching for salmon 

 was as strong among our ancestors as it is with their descend- 

 ants ; for in the 1st Parliament of James I. of Scotland, it 

 was enacted, " Quha sa ever be convict of slauchter of sal- 

 monde in time forbidden be the law, he sail pay fourtie schel- 

 lings for the unlaw, and at the third time, gif he be convict 

 of sik trespasse, he sail tyne his life or then bye it ;" but 

 it is not stated how he was to " bye " or redeem it. 

 This Act was followed by one in 1429, passed in the 9th Par- 

 liament of the same king, referring exclusively to the Solway 

 and Tweed, which affords a curious glimpse into the 

 feelings entertained by the Scotch to their English neigh- 

 bours. To the inveterate poacher it would be a welcome re- 

 lief to go out to catch the " red fische " without any fear 

 of the above penalty being inflicted upon him, for it enacted, 

 " the waters of Solway and Tweede qu hilikis sal be reddie 

 to all Scottes-men all times of the yier als lang as Berwick 

 and Roxburgh ar in the English mennes handes." After this 

 proviso ceased, the general Act of Parliament for the regula- 

 tion of the Rivers in Scotland, came again into operation. 



The first English Act relating solely to the Tweed, was 

 passed in 1771, and was entitled " An Act for regulating and 

 improving the Fisheries in the River Tweed, and the rivers 

 and streams running into the same, and also within the 

 mouth or entrance of the said river." And in the years 

 1775, 1797, and 1807, Acts were passed amending and ren- 

 dering more effectual the first Tweed Act. The reasons 

 given for passing these various Acts, as set out in the pre- 

 ambles, are interesting. For that of 1775 it states " that the 

 provisions and regulations contained in the Act of 1771, had 

 proved very beneficial to the owners and proprietors of Fish- 

 eries, and had greatly contributed to the preservation of the 

 fish ;" for that of 1797, that idle and disorderly persons made 



