2oS 
THE FISHING GAZETTE 
[April 8, 1893 
THE AYRON FISHERY DISTRICT. 
Copt of a Report by Mr. H. N. Mai,an, an Inspector 
of Fisheries, on a Bye-law made by the Board of 
Conservators of the Ayron Fishery District, for tho 
purpose of determining: the Length, Size, and 
Description of Nets for taking Salmon in that 
District. 
Board of Trade, March 18, 1893. 
Sir, I have the honour to report, for the information 
of the Board of Trade, that on the 16th inst, in accor¬ 
dance with my instructions, I held a public inquiry at 
Aberayron into a bye-law made on the 3nd January last 
by the Board of Conservators of the Ayron Fishery 
District under the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries 
Acts, 1861 to 1886. 
The bye-law is as follows : — Kinds of nets that maybe 
lawfully used and where— 
(a.) No person shall use any net for taking salmon, 
except as follows .—A draft net; a hang net; a 
polo net. 
(h.) Such draft or hang net shall not, when measured 
wet, exceed 200 yards in length and four yards 
in depth. 
(r.) Such draft or hang nets shall not be used within 
that part of the Ayron Fishery District which 
lies between the lower bridge in the town of 
Aberayron and a line drawn from tho northern¬ 
most extremity of the north pier seawards, and 
parallel to the western pier until it reaches a 
point true north of the seaward extremity of the 
breakwater at the end of the west pier, and 
thence continued straight to the said extremity 
of the said breakwater, and thence straight to 
the nearest point of the said west pier; but the 
description of nets which may lawfully be used 
for taking salmon shall be pole nets. 
Any person offending against this bye-law shall be 
liable for each offence to a penalty not exceeding five 
pounds. 
This bye-law is in substitution for a bye-law made 
and confirmed in 1883, which contained the provisions of 
the above clauses (n) and (6). Clause (<■) is new, and 
the inquiry was ordered in consequence of the objections 
to which it had given rise. 
The objectors are the owners and workers of two 
seine nets used at the mouth of Aberayron harbour. 
These nets were first introduced in 1890, and are worked 
between the two piers from early in June to the end of 
August, when the season closes. 
At the inquiry Mr. E. Lima Jones, member and clerk 
of the Board of Conservators, stated that the attention 
of the board had been called in various ways to these 
seine nets, and that, being of opinion that tho use of 
such nets was against the fishing interests of the 
district, they had made this bye-law. 
It was in 1890 that a seine net was first used at 
Aberayron. One or two residents obtained such a net 
from the Dee, and fished it with such success that others 
were encouraged to follow their example, and a second 
net made its appearence. A licence was taken out for 
each net. As, however, there was not room for two 
nets, the owners amalgamated, and agreed to fish alter¬ 
nately. The following season one licence only was taken 
out for the two nets. The scene of operation is between 
the two piers, which are only twenty-five yards apart. 
One end of the net is landed at the west pier; the net 
is then paid out from a boat which crosses the entrance 
of the harbour, and very slowly creeps along the north 
pier until the full limit of the net has been reached. 
Eventually both ends are drawn to the inner end of the 
west pier, and tho net is hauled ashore. 
The operation begins at half ebb, when there is said 
to be 5 feet of water on the bar, and 2 feet in the river. 
According to the workers of the net, the whole opera¬ 
tion takes three quarters of an hour, but it was stated 
by others that it has at times been prolonged for two 
hours. The net is used once every tide, and sometimes 
twice. 
The supporters of the bye-law urge that this method 
of fishing is very destructive, that it acts as a complete 
barrier across the river, and that it takes all the fish 
which, having run up with the tide, have been unable to 
get beyond the tidal waters. It was shown that the 
fishing has considerably decreased of late years, that 
whilst thirty-nine and forty-four salmon rod licences 
were taken out in 1890 and 1891 respectively, only twenty- 
two were taken out in 1892, and that general dissatis¬ 
faction prevails amongst those interested in the welfare 
of the river. The owners of the seines deny that their 
nets act as a complete barrier across the river, and con¬ 
tend that the decrease of fish is due to other causes. 
They admit, however, that their nets may interfere with 
the catches of the goryds further along the coast. They 
set down their largest haul at twenty salmon, no fish 
being over 181b. The gross value of the takes of both 
nets they place at .£54 for each of the last two seasons. 
Some of these statements, I am inclined to think, must 
bo accepted with reserve. 
Messrs. Joseph Rees, Francis Evans, and John Evans 
own one net, and Messrs. Evan Loyn and R. S. Lloyd 
own tho other ; they work the nets themselves with 
assistance. It takes five men to work a net. Half the 
profits of each net is taken by the owners, and the other 
half is divided equally amongst the five hands. These 
men are not fishermen in the regular sense of the word ; 
some are are retired master-mariners, and others are 
local tradesmen and dealers. Mr. Loyn is the fisher¬ 
men’s representative member on the Board of Comser- 
vators. 
From all that was said at the inquiry, it is very clear 
that there has been of late years a great falling off in 
the stock of salmon in the river Ayron, and that for the 
last two seasons it has scarcely been worth while for 
anyone to take out a rod licence for salmon. This 
scarcity of fish is not, I think, wholly due to the seine 
nets at the mouth of the harbour, but there is no doubt 
that they have done harm, and come very near being 
illegal fixed engines. Dry seasons and want of sufficient 
protection in the upper reaches of the river are also 
some of the causes which may have contributed to the 
falling off of the Ayron as a salmon river. But a dry 
sesson would also be in favour of the nets, since more 
fish would fail to get above the tidal waters. The 
entrance to the harbour is too narrow for this method 
of fishing to be carried on without injury to the whole 
fishery. I therefore think that the Board of Conservators 
have acted rightly in making this bye-law, and I recom¬ 
mend that it be confirmed. 
I should add that although the nets are never used 
before June, the owners have already applied for and 
obtained their licence for the present season; they 
were, however, given to understand that this would 
give them no legal right to make use of their nets in the 
prohibited area if the bye-law is confirmed. 
Since the appearance of the nets in question the use 
of pole-nets has almost been given up ; only one was 
licensed in 1891 and none in 1892, but there is reason to 
believe that there are some unlicensed ones illegally 
used up the river.—I have the honour to bo. Sir, your 
obedient servant, 
H. Noel Malan, Inspector of Fisheries. 
The Assistant Secretary, 
Fisheries Department, Board of Trade. 
The London United Anglers’ Societies’ Fifth 
Annual Angling Comfetition, in Aid op the I 
Funds of the Anglers’ Benevolent Society, and 
Convalescent Home Funds. —On tho 26th ult., the 
competition was resumed at the Rye House, for the . 
I prizes left over from the previous Sunday. Result as | 
follows, 205 competed :—18, F. Gibbons (Enstonians), | 
31b. IJoz.; 19, J. A. Pitch (Great Northern Brothers), 1 
> lib. 13oz. ; 20, R. Cole (Hounsfield Otters), 11b. lOjOz. ; ‘ 
21, W. Taylor (Bermondsey Brothers), 11b. 5ioz.; . 
! 22, J. Wilgross (Clapham Junction), lib. 4oz. ; 23, | 
! G. Riggs (Globe), 11b. Joz.; 24, A. Sims (Original 
Alexandria), 151oz.; 25, A. Burton (Good Intent), 
1 15Joz.; 26, A. Freeman (Dalston), 14Joz.; 27, G. Frank- 
I lin (Crown and Buekland), 14oz.; 28, C. Twomey ; 
(Prince of Wales), lljoz.; 29, F. Baldwin (Dalston), i 
9Joz.; 30, Blyth (Amicable Excelsior), 85oz.; 31, j 
C. Hibble (Walworth Waltonians), 6Joz. ; 32, R. Parram 
(Dalston), OJoz.; 33, J. Bailey (Convivial), Oloz. ; 34, 
W. Stevens (West Ham Brothers), 6Joz.; 35, J.” Ballard 
(Globe), 6oz.; 36, T. Jenkins (Wellington), 5ioz.; 37, 
H. Prochl (Great Northern Brothers), 4foz.; 38, 
G. Depledge (Causton), 4^oz.; 39, G. Chamberlaine -I 
(Stepney), 4oz.; 40, A. Roe (Bermondsey Brothers), 
3Joz. ; 41, C. Neal (Prince of Wales), 3Joz.; 42, ( 
C. Smales (Silver Trout), 3^oz.; 43, W. Thompson J 
(Havelock), 2ioz.; 41, T. More (Lincoln), 2Joz. At a ‘ 
committee meeting held at the Foresters’ Hall on Friday, | 
the 21th, it was decided that the prizes should he pre¬ 
sented to the respective winners on Monday, April 24, f 
1893, at the Spread Eagle, Kingsland-road, next door f 
to the North London Shoreditch Station, where donors 
will please deliver their prizes as soon as convenient. 
Since my last report I have received with thanks from 
tne Eclipse, ISs.; Odds and Evens, 10s.; Globe, 153.; 
Edmonton and Tottenham, lOs. ; Original Alexandria, ( 
19s. ; Izaak Walton, 13s. 6d.; and W. H. Meeoham, a i 
winch. The committee request that seeretarys will f 
send tickets or cash immediately, as they wish to wind v 
up the account as soon as possible.—S. Malby, sec. t 
The Lower Thames Trout Propagation Society. ii 
—Since my last report I have got one or two more sub- it 
scriptions, and hope very shortly to have enough money <. 
to purchase 1000 two-year-old trout, as there seems to ^ 
be a wish that two-year-olds should be turned in and |i 
not yearlings. My opinion is that yearlings are equally ii 
as good as two-year-olds, and are much more reasonable | 
in price, which would allow of 2000 trout being turned J 
into the river instead of 1000. As to the proper size to 5 
turn fish into any water there seems a great variance of h 
opinions. Some say that two-year-olds are better than ’ 
yearlings ; others that fry a few months’ old, and turned : 
in in large quantities, are better than either. The late i! 
Francis Francis in one of his works, I believe, says that 
yearlings or two-year-olds are overgrown hobbledehoys, 
and when turned into the river are unable to get their ' 
own living, and not brought up to the danger likely to . ■ 
befall them. After all, I think it is impossible to go by ■ 
any hard-and-fast rule; a good deal depends upon the 
weather and state of water, and the time of year that 
fish are removed; also whether the fish are what I term j 
wild fish, that is, if they have had plenty of room and l 
not been artificially fed. I have not heard of any trout i 
being taken as yet, and I am afraid there will not be 
until we get some rain. A beautiful trout, weighing 7Jtb., 
came to grief last week at Penton Hook, having its head 
smashed between the lock gates, which it must have , 1 
been trying to get through, having been previously , i 
frightened by a tug. All subscriptions and oommunica- j 
tions will be duly acknowledged.—A. Burrow, hon. 
sec.. Lower Thames Trout Propagation Society, Colne 
Cottage, Staines. .■ 
FISHERIES EXHIBITION 
Chairman and Managing Director, J. EITCHIB, Esq. 
OPEN to APRIL 15 th. J 
■A. AALTC3-XjEE/S’ ...j 
In addition to the Exhibition, ail the usual Attractions are continued, including 
BURN’S GREAT DIVE of 80ft. into 7ft. of Water. 
Catalof/nes and Guide to the Exhibition, (id. 
THE SFOBTSSAH'S VASE UECUU. 
Eat. 1818. 
Ten Prize Medals. 
Qold Medals, 
Paris, 1878, 
London, 1884 
HEERING’S 
ONLY GENUINE 
COPENHAGEN CHERRY RRANOY 
^ w a . PETES P. HEEBllsra, 
Pnrreyor by AppolntmecU lo the I^yal Dantah and ImM^l Russian Court# endD.B.H.the Prlnoe of Welee. 
Bold by aU respecUble Wine MerchanU. Traioe. 
SHOBDON, HEREFORDSHIRE, 
TROUT and GRAYLING FISHING CLUB. 
G IBNTLEMEN DESIROUS of BECOMING MEMBERS of tho above, which 
r comprises Lord Bateman’s Proierved F.hhirics in tho River Lugg, between 
Mortimer s Cross and Aymestry Court, and in the Konwater and Pinsley rivers at the 
Wegnalls Estate, near Leominster, are re(iuested to send their names to 
W. LAVER, Secretary of tho Club, S! o’idon, Herefordshire. 
The club is limited to thirty members at .T guineas each, and each subscriber receives a uiombor's 
ticket (available to March 1804) and four visitors' tickets. 
