F. day: early and late salmon rivers. 



29 



entirely prevents salmon ascending the river. ' For a great 

 many years the river had been netted in close time to pass 

 salmon over, but it is only four seasons ago that this netting was 

 permitted before the rod fishing ended on October 31st. Ever since 

 the salmon were passed up early in September they have been seen 

 spawning high up on Dartmoor as early as the first week in October, 

 and young salmon have been hatched out the first week in January. 

 The result is that early spawned fish have returned again to the 

 sea before Christmas, and a goodly number of large fish from 12 lbs. 

 to 20 lbs. have been taken in the nets throughout the month of 

 March. This instance, the correctness of which I assume, is one 

 showing that the lateness in spawning in a certain river may be 

 consequent upon the presence of an artificial obstruction to ascent ; 

 remove that obstruction, or pass the breeding fish over it early in the 

 breeding season, the young are earlier reared, and the breeders 

 return sooner into condition than had they been left to wait to a later 

 period before spawning. This and other examples which I have 

 adduced, go to prove that artificial causes may convert an early breed- 

 ing into a late breeding river ; that alter the conditions, and the fish 

 may again breed in the earlier months, but more evidence is requisite 

 to show the result of this on the early ascending fish. 



Mr. Francis remarked \ 'The Erne and the Bundrowse are only a few 

 miles apart ; their capabilities are very similar, both have large lakes for 

 shelter, yet one gives fish in February and the other not till May. 

 The Editor of the Field observed, ' Where there are heavy spring 

 runs which are left solely to the rod and never netted, those runs 

 keep up in. almost undiminished numbers, but as soon as the nets are 

 brought to bear, they sooner or later die out altogether.' 



I would finally observe that it is clear some rivers have early 

 ascending fish, while in others they may be late, and all the 

 intermediate grades are seen as well as several ascents in one stream 

 during the year. I would suggest whether fishermen and the fish- 

 consuming public have not a good reason to require our salmon 

 fishery inspectors to afford some explanation of this phenomenon. 

 One wishes to be informed whether all these early fish will or will not 

 breed the year they ascend, and likewise if the salmon in our rivers 

 are annual or biennial spawners. Assertions or surmises on these 

 points are unavailing for proof, and as this question is one on the 

 solution of which a great amount of our salmon legislation would 

 have to be based, it is surely not asking too much that a definite 

 number of fish should be annually marked; that this should be 

 carried on for several successive years, and the results duly recorded. 

 Every fact ought to be given the fullest publicity, from which 

 everyone would be able to draw their own conclusions. 



Jan. 1886. 



