§ MR. MACGREGOR (Inverness-shire)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury if the Commissioners of Woods and Forests have recently let a part of the Inverness-shire coast, in the district of Arisaig, to a party who has lined it with bag nets to intercept salmon on its way to the lochs and rivers, to the detriment of legitimate sport for anglers, and likely to cause a diminution of the supply, by preventing the fish reaching the breeding grounds; and if due notification was given of the intention to let the coast for the purposes referred to?
§ SIR J. T. HIBBERTThe salmon fishings ex adverso the estate of Arisaig are not let by the Commissioners of Woods, &c. They are claimed by the ex adverso proprietor. The salmon fishings opposite the adjoining estate of South Morar have been in lease from the Commissioners of Woods for some years. A fresh lease was granted last year, but the tenant is expressly bound to fish only by legal methods, and it is not known that he is fishing by any method not recognised by law. These fishings were let by tender after advertisement in the local newspapers.
§ MR. MACGREGORWill the right hon. Gentleman see that a stop is put to these illegal practices? I shall call attention to the matter on the Estimates.