SALMON— IRISH FISHERY LAWS. 133 



Leven, Lochy, Loch Duich,' Loch Luing, Loch Roag, Lussa, Moidart, Morar, 

 Naver and Borgie, Feochan, Ormsary, Pennygown, Resort, Sanda, Scaddle, 

 Shiel, SHgachan, Snizort, Strathy, Torridon, Ullapool, and Wick, for rods, from 

 February 11th to October 31st ; for nets, from February 11th to August 26th. — 

 Beauly, Dunbeath, Kyle of Sutherland, Lossie, Nairn, Ness and Spey, for rods, 

 from February 11th to October 15th ; for nets, from February 11th to August 26th. 

 — Findhorn, for rods, from February 11th to October 10th ; for nets, from 

 February 11th to August 26. — Drummachloy (Isle of Bute), for rods, from 

 February 16th to October 15th ; for nets, from February 16th to August 31st. — 

 Add, Echaig, North Esk, Shira, South Esk, Fyne, Aray and Ruel, for rods, from 

 February 16th to October 31st; for nets, from February 16th to August 31st.— 

 Bervie, Carradale, Fleet (Kirkcudbright), Claybum, Finnis Bay, Avennangeren, 

 Strathgrayat, North Lacastile, Scalladale, Mawrig, Fincastle, Meaveg, Balla- 

 nachist. South Lacastile, Borve, Obb, Girvan, Inner, lorsa, Irvine, Laggan, Luce, 

 Stiachar, Ugie, MuUanageren, Horasary, Loch-na-ciste, Urr, Tthan, Howmore, 

 Nith, for rods, from February 25th to October 31st; for nets, from February 25th 

 to September 9th. 



The Irish Inspectors of Fisheries reported that in 1882, 33,885 boxes of salmon of 

 150 lb. weight each were exported to England ; in 1883, 59,171 ; in 1884, 46,955 ; 

 and the total prices realized were £443,782 in 1883, and £410,856 in 1884. The 

 number of nets which paid duty in 1884, were 305 snap-nets, 811 draft-nets, 363 drift- 

 nets, 36 pole-nets, 51 bag-nets, fly-nets, 56 stake-nets, head weirs 2, box or crib 46, 

 gap, eye, &c. 315, sweepers 4, coghills 58, loop-nets 26, but from the evidence given 

 before the Committee of the House of Commons in 1885, there appears to be a large 

 number used, especially in salt water, that do not pay any duty at all. While stake- 

 nets which were put down, as in the Shannon in 1863, are now as, if not more, 

 numerous, than they were at that period. 



A few instances of Irish salmon rivers* as they are reported to be at present 

 will be given so as to illustrate the effects of certain modes of fishing, and the 

 reasons adduced by one of the Inspectors respecting legalizing certain destructive 

 modes of netting salmon as the half-tram or fixed draught-net, and also the pro- 

 position which has been made to reduce the close season and weekly close time ; 

 there being, so it has been asserted, too many breeding salmon in the river at the 

 spawning period ! 



It is remarkable how history repeats itself. In November, 1851, it was asserted 

 in the pages of the Dublin University Magazine that a Bill had been introduced 

 in 1842 by the then Government, and which speedily passed into law without 



* In the Blackwater, Select Committee of the House of Commons on the Salmon Fisheries, 

 (Ireland), 1886, it was stated that owing to the Act of 1863, the number of standing weirs was 

 reduced from 33 to 3, as a consequence the sahnon soon began to largely increase in numbers, and 

 immediately there was an invasion of drift nets in the river and half -tram or fixed draught-nets 

 in the sea. Fortunately the Duke of Devonshire and others were able to prove rights to a several 

 fishery in the river and there the drift-nets were placed under control as well as reduced from 105 

 to 45, while to save the fisheries from almost certain destruction application was made and leave 

 given that netting in nine miles of its course should cease. Unfortunately the number of nets seems 

 to be vastly increasing outside the mouth of the river and with a greater rapidity than is whole- 

 some for the fisheries. Mr. Slattery deposed (p. 77) that in a fishery a few miles above Lismore 

 a tenant holding 120 acres of land on lease (for lives) taken before 1863 for £101. 10s never prior 

 to this period obtained a penny for his fishing. The weir was removed in 1865, and the first time 

 he obtained any rent was in 1866 when he got £5 for the year, in 1868 he got £12 annually, in 

 1871 £25, 1874 on ten years' lease at £40, in 1884 it was let on a seven years' lease at £80. 

 Similarly the Stafford fishery in the same river, which in 1866 was let at £7 annually, now (1885) 

 is hired on a seven years' lease at £80. In another next below, or Meagher's fishery, in 1868 let at 

 £5 a year, but in 1885 at £34. Coleman's, which formerly did not let, now obtains £30, while the 

 Careyville fishery has risen from £100 to £700, and others in proportion. Captain Franclss 

 observed with regards to the migration of the young of the salmon that in 1868 they, i.e., salmon fry, 

 were being caught up to the last day of the open season (October 31st) and the water bailiff was 

 directed to continue fishing into the close season to prove this, and on November 27th, six of a 

 much larger size than the February smolt were captured for a meeting of the Conservators. 



The Bandon river was rented in 1846 at £170 a year, and evidence was subsequently obtained 

 that the produce from 1864 to 1872 had been as follows : — 1864, 5 tons 6 cwt. 3 qr. 25 lb. ; 1865, 



3 tons 19 owt. 1 qr. ; 1866, 6 tons 18 cwt. 3 qr. 7 lb. ; 1867, 4 tons 3 cwt. 1 qr. 19 lb. ; 1868, 3 tons 



4 owt. 3 qr. 24 lb ; 1869, 7 tons 8 cwt. 2 qr. 7 lb. ; 1870, 7 tons 13 owt. 1 qr. 8 lb. ; 1871, 4 tons 



