ENGLISH SALMON RIVEES. 159 



can be no doubt of the practicability of such a scheme : what has 

 been achieved in Ireland and at Stormontfield might surely be 

 accomplished in England. An ample return would be obtained 

 for the capital sunk, and in all probability a large profit besides. 

 A recent report of the Inspectors of the English Salmon 

 Fisheries [1872] contains some interesting particulars of the 

 numbers of fish taken in one or two of the English rivers. 

 Thirty-five salmon rivers were put under question by Mr. Buck- 

 land, but replies were received from only eighteen of these. It 

 is difficult to obtain correct statistics from net fishermen, they 

 are so im willing to reveal the secrets of the prison-house. The 

 Tyne, according to the printed returns, is the best fished water, 

 more than 129,000 fish having been captured by the nets; 

 the Ribble follows with over 8000 salmon, and the Severn 

 with 6500. In all, 150,936 salmon were entered as taken 

 from the few rivers which have answered. As to the destina- 

 tion of the fish taken from English waters, the returns show 

 that they are chiefly sent to those great seats of population, 

 London, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, and Bristol. 

 Many tons of salmon are likewise sent every year to Paris and 

 some parts of Germany. " It wiQ thus be seen," says Mr. 

 Buckland, " that not only the inhabitants of London, but of all 

 our large and populous cities, have a direct interest in the pro- 

 gress and development of the salmon-fisheries, as they affect the 

 pockets of aU classes of society. The flesh of the salmon is in 

 one respect cheaper than butcher's meat, for when a joint of 

 meat is bought, the bone is paid for, whereas in salmon there is 

 little or no bone." 



Mr. Buckland makes a contribution to the economy of 

 salmon rivers : he says — " In many rivers, I feel convinced — 

 though it may seem a great heresy — that there are too many 

 breeding fish, for a river may be overstocked just as a sheep- 

 farm may be overstocked." This is an opinion that is held by 

 several practical salmon-fishers, and it indicates a most welcome 

 change of circumstances. Ten years ago nearly all salmon 

 rivers were suffering from the scarcity of breeding fish, and the 

 cry aU over the country was, We are exterminating the salmon ! 

 On this point, Mr. Buckland says — " In most cases the stock of 

 fish is so ample that we may now venture to draw a larger 

 dividend from our fish capital than we, have heretofore, and, in 

 any case, it is advisable to breed as many tons of salmon for the 

 markets as possible." 



