Salmon and Salmon Fisheries

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1883 edition. Excerpt: ... and whether any alteration in their constitution is desirable. The Commissioners at once proceeded with the inquiry, and made a report stating that, to procure the necessary information, they had visited the principal salmon rivers in Scotland (forty-six in number), and had personal meetings with twenty-two District Boards, and also with many landed proprietors interested in the fisheries. They further reported, that whilst the total number of fishery districts which had been designated by the Act of Parliament to be managed, each by a separate board, was 105, yet at this moment (viz., in 1871) there are not above 30 District Boards constituted and working The Commissioners also reported that the constitution of the boards was unsatisfactory, and they suggested some modifications, though apparently without much confidence in their likelihood of success. Shortly afterwards, there was a change of Government, which may, perhaps, have been one reason why no steps were then taken to remedy a state of things so injurious to a great national industry which supplies a large amount of much prized food, and gives employment to about from 14,000 to 15,000 of the population in Scotland. What has been the consequence of matters having been allowed to remain in the nearly total absence of any proper authorities for enforcing the law? Over two-thirds of the country, both in our rivers and along our sea-coasts, poaching in annual and weekly close times, --capturing of salmon fry, --river pollution, --obstructions in rivers, and illegal netting, have been prevailing, without check or hindrance. If asked for evidence of this, I refer to the testimony of Mr. Young, who knows more about our salmon fishings than any one else, and who in the year 1877 published a...