64 AjJpendices to Ninth Report of Fishery Board for Scotland. 
if it be a fact that the Eden Board are about to extend the limits of their 
fishing-grounds, this will only make the state of matters worse than at 
present, if that be possible. 
The weekly close time on the English side is from 6 a.m. on Saturday 
to midnight on Sunday, and on the Scotch side it is from 6 p.m. on 
Saturday to 6 a.m. on Monday. This anomaly is, therefore, taken advan- 
tage of by whammelers to fish up to 6 p.m. on Saturday, and from midnight 
on Sunday. 
I would make the following suggestions, any of which, if found practi- 
cable, would put a check on this wholesale poaching : — 
Bring to the notice of the Sheriff the fact that the small fines hitherto 
imposed on net fishers have never had any apparent effect in stopping 
illegal fishing, one draft of the net being often more than sufficient to pay 
for such fines. Also represent to him the very great difficulty there is in 
getting a conviction once the fish are caught, the bailiffs not appearing to 
have sufficient power given them to seize salmon in the boats, at the 
dealers', or at the railway stations. 
Lay the whole case before the Eden Fishery Board, who, in their own 
interests, would probably take prompt measures for the suppression of 
the poaching by the whammelers. 
This they could do by reducing the number of licences, and by can- 
celling or not renewing others when those to whom they had been 
granted were found fishing illegally. The matter of the weekly close 
time should also have their attention, and they could send some of 
their watchers with a boat to assist those at Annan Waterfoot during 
September and October. 
The house occupied by the water-bailiffs at Newbie, and the anchorage 
of their boat there, should be changed. I understand there is a suitable 
two-storied house near the east side of the entrance to the Annan, which 
could be made available, and their boat should be removed into the 
mouth of the river, as in its present position it is mudbound for long 
after the whammelers get under weigh. 
Provide the force with a smaller boat in addition to the present one, 
so that they can readily get alongside the whammel netters, who, during 
the close season, frequently go out fishing with their row boats under 
pretence of trawling, but really with whammel-nets on board. 
By this change in house and boats the bailiffs would have the fishing 
fleet directly under their eye, and could watch all their movements, being 
on the spot instead of being perhaps mud-bound a mile and a half away. 
If it could be arranged for the various Boards to work together for the 
general protection of the Solway, the watchers and bailiffs having power 
to patrol either side of the Eirth, much good would be done ; also, if they 
could all be under the direction of one Chief, stationed at Annan Water- 
foot, the stronghold of the whammelers, poaching would quickly be putdown. 
Unfortunately, the laws governing the English and Scotch sides of the 
Solway are at present very different, and as one law ought to govern the 
whole, and as it is impossible to define the centre of the Channel, I should 
think it only requires a representation to be made in the proper quarter to 
have a Commissioner appointed to inquire into and report on the matter. 
Most of the rivers in Scotland are being ruined by over-netting and 
poaching, notably the Spey and the Tweed, and if legislation does not 
soon come to their rescue they will cease to rank as first-class salmon 
rivers. Those, therefore, having the interests of the rivers flowing into 
the Solway in their keeping, should take warning in time. 
J. BELL-IRVING. 
Mount- Annan, 'Ind Decemher 1890. 
