11? 



days. Urift netSf extending entirely across the river; are likeJ 

 wise used ; spearing on the spawning beds,' and drifting over 

 these beds, are also practised. . Mr. Montgomery said that spear- 

 ing goes on at all times, when possible) without regard to season. 



Mr. Mann mentioned, as a fact within his oWn knowledge, that 

 the first salmon which enter the rivers every seasoUj are almost 

 Invariably females, and fish of large size. In a hundred fish of 

 the first run, not a single male *ill be found ; the males ascend 

 the river later than the females. 



The Act of Assembly in New Brunswickj (8 Victoria, cap. 

 65,) for regulating the salmon fisheries in the County of Resti? 

 guche, contains some very stringent and salutary provisionSj 

 but then, fhey are not enforced. In prao'ticej the Act seems 

 almost a dead letter, as regards the Restigonche River. 



A " elose time" should be establishedj during which salmon 

 should not be taken in any way. The taking of " grilse," or 

 small salmon, under a certain weight, should be restricted,- and 

 their sale prohibited. Spearing should be disallowed, and the 

 regulations generally^ for this fishing; should be as uniform as 

 possible. 



The salmon fishery of the Restigouche; once so abundant and 

 so valuable, requires special attention. The action of the Cana- 

 dian authorities is also required, to give full efficacy to a prohibi- 

 tory law within that bay. 



The fisheries belonging to the OroWn, .in the rivers whose 

 banks are ungranted, should be leased, on condition that each 

 lessee should fish only at the proper season, and protect the river 

 at all other times. By this arrangement, the fisheries of the 

 rivers flowing through ungranted Wilderness lands, which are 

 now being destroyed in the most wasteful and reckless manner; 

 might be preserved, and rendered profitable. In Ireland, where 

 rivers, whose salmon fishery was nearly exhausted, have been 

 preserved for a time, the salmon have increased most wonder- 

 fully ; and the salmon fishery, in some oases, has become of ex- 

 ceeding value, in places where, previously, it had almost ceased 

 .to exist. 



