482 MR. T. SOUTHWELL ON THE SMELT IN NORFOLK WATERS. 
In the summer of 1882 Mr. Harding says that he sent out 
circulars to sixty-six ports, asking for information as to the 
regulations in force with regard to the Smelt Fishery in each port. 
Of the fourteen returns received, eleven speak of a decided 
decrease in the number of Smelts taken ; and in a twelfth, 
although no such decrease is specified, it is stated that “ enormous 
quantities of young Smelts are yearly taken by the Whitebait 
fishers.” In ten cases it is stated that no regulations for the 
preservation of the fishery exist ; and in one instance where this 
specific information is omitted, it is added, the Smelts “ have 
decreased very considerably of late years.” In only three instances 
out of the fourteen is it stated that any attempt has been made 
to regulate the fishery in any ^vay. These exceptions are Breydon, 
Norfolk, which is wmrked under the Norfolk and Suffolk Fisheries 
Act of 1877, the provisions of which I have explained in a former 
paper (ante p. 340) ; Eochester, which has a close time from 
1st April to 30th June, the mesh of the net u.sed in that locality 
from 1st July to 31st October is fixed at 1-J^ in., and from 
1st November to 31st March l;j in., the length of the nets not to 
exceed 35 fathoms, no trim or stow nets, or any fixed engines are 
allowed in the Medway, and the bye-laws are made at an admiralty 
court. The catches of Smelts here vary very much, and there 
have been good and bad seasons alternately. The third protected 
fishery is in the river Forth, where the close time is during the 
months of “ Majq June, July, and August.” The nets used are 
draught and a boom net, which is a fixture. There is no 
restriction as to size of mesh, and the number of fish taken 
has diminished to such an extent since 18G4, that previous 
to that time “ as many were caught in one day as are now obtained 
in two or three seasons.” The fishermen ascribe the decrease to 
the large quantities of ice which came down the Forth in the 
winter of 18G4j but Mr. Harding’s correspondent “is of opinion 
the scarcity is owing to the killing or destroying of so much of 
the Smelt fry during the months of September and October,” and 
considers that the close time should be extended to the end of 
October j but he does not suggest any alteration either in the size 
of mesh or the abolition of fixed nets. 
It is evident from the imperfect returns rendered to Mr. Harding, 
that the amount of interest taken in the Smelt fisheries of the 
