THE SALMON FAMILY 67 
sea. The improvement in the vitality and in the 
appearance of the kelt is due to the fact that the entire 
blood of the fish is again utilised to nourish its body, 
instead of being diverted to a considerable extent to 
supply the organs concerned with the production of 
spawn. 
It will be seen that the number of salmon in the 
sea and in our rivers depends upon the number of smolts 
that go to sea, and the number of smolts that go to sea 
depends upon the number of salmon eggs deposited on 
the redds. Salmon parr, smolts, and kelts have for 
some time been protected by law, but it is only recently 
that the importance of allowing a sufficient number of 
spawning fish to reach the redds has been realised. Yet 
it is upon these spawning fish that the whole salmon 
fishing industry depends. As soon as more owners of 
salmon nets recognise that by their persistent netting 
they are killing the 
and that they must allow the nets to be up for longer 
periods than the law actually demands, so soon will our 
salmon fisheries improve. 
6 
‘goose that lays the golden eggs,” 
Some kelts recover their vigour and silvery appear- 
ance to a greater extent than others, and these are 
known as “ well-mended ”’ fish. 
Now kelts are a perfect nuisance to anglers who are 
out to kill salmon, but occasionally a well-mended kelt 
will often give as good sport as any spring fish. 
There are two fish, the memories of which are ever 
before me. One was a nine-pound carp, the history of 
