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ILLUSTRATIONS OF 
has consequently directed that there shall he no 
fishing for salmon during the fence months^ which 
are from November to March^ and a local act has 
directed the appointment of conservators for the 
purpose of enforcing this law. But the fishermen 
are so united with each other to prevent any in- 
terference with their occupation, the technicalities 
required by the law are so complicated, and the 
rnagistrates in general so unwilling to visit the fisher- 
inan with heavy penalties for merely exercising his 
usual avocations, that it is very difficult to convict 
and punish the olFending parties/ The fact is, the 
laws on this subject are rather partial and unequal, 
and therefore rarely enforced ; but till this subject 
is properly revised by the legislature, and the young 
fry protected by laws which can be enforced, it is 
hopeless to expect the fish will become more plen- 
tiful. The principal destruction, however, takes 
place below Gloucester, where the salmon are so 
harassed, that but few are enabled to overcome the 
obstacles placed there to stop their progress. When 
the young fish are five or six inches in length, they 
are called salmon smelts, or samlets, and when they 
have attained the weight of from six to nine pounds, 
they have the name of grilse. 
* Some years ago a " Severn Association" was established for the protection and 
preservation of the salmon, and while the late Mr, Moseley lived, numerous unlaw- 
ful nets were destroyed, and much unwholesome fish burned. The Association is 
still in existence, but its duties are now almost wholly circumscribed to eating the 
unfortunate fish which it was originally constituted to protect. Upwards of £200 
was originally raised to enforce the objects of the Association, but no permanent 
benefit has resulted. 
