A HISTORY OF LANCASHIRE sponges. I believe that this is the first recorded instance of a salmon smolt being found in the open sea. The Lune is the chief Lancashire salmon river, and indeed this is one of the best salmon streams in England. During late years a deteriora- tion in the value of the Lune salmon fisheries has been noted, and one cause assigned is the excessive amount of netting at the mouth of the estuary. But I think the other alleged cause, the growing pollution of the stream, is a more important factor. All the sewage from Lan- caster, from an infectious disease hospital, and die effluents from several factories, enter the portion of the estuary where salmon are found. The effect of this pollution is perhaps not so much to kill the fish — it is not bad enough yet — as to prevent them going up the river. Attempts have been made in recent years to compel the local authorities concerned to adopt sewage purification measures, but these have so far been fruitless.
- 87. Sea Trout. Salmo trutta, Linn.
Sea trout are very often taken along the sea coast. Fishermen in Lancashire distinguish between several kinds of salmonida;, giving them local names, such as ' mort,' ' fork-tails,' etc., but most probably all these are to be referred either to the salmon or the sea trout.
- 88. Trout. Salmo fario, Linn.
The Ribble is the best Lancashire trout stream. 89. Sparling. Osmerus eperlanus (Linn.) Sparling are common enough in Lancashire waters to form the material for a fishery. They are taken by seine nets in Morecambe Bay when the fishery lasts, (legally) from i November to 31 March. They are also got occasionally in Barrow Channel, and in the shrimp trawl nets off Blackpool. They are very small (3 ins. or thereabout) in the latter habitat.
- 90. Grayling. Corregom thymallus (Linn.)
In Bryerly's time the grayling was taken abundantly in the Mersey near Garston Dock. 91. Anchovy. EngrauUs encraskholus (Linn.) The anchovy is a rare visitant to Lancashire waters. I have seen specimens taken by Capt. Eccles in the shrimp trawl in the Mersey estuary and off Blackpool. It is so uncommon that fishermen usually fail to recognize it. 92. Herring. Clupea harenga, Linn. There is no real fishery now for herring in Lancashire waters, though they are caught off the Isle of Man and in Welsh waters. They used to be abundant in Morecambe Bay, but have deserted this district for many years on account of the increased steam traffic in the bay, some fishermen say. They were, however, rather abundant in the Mersey between Rock Ferry and Eastham a few years ago, and some boats from Morecambe followed the fishing there with much success. They occur very frequently, however, though not in sufficient numbers to make a remunerative fishery, and are constantly met with in the trawl nets. 93. Sprat. Clupea spratta, Linn. ' Sprats ' are always mixtures of the true sprat and the herring. They are very abundant at times. In 1902 great quantities were taken by the shrimp boats off Southport. In this case the fish were caught by being ' meshed ' during the ' shooting ' and hauling of the shank nets. The fish live in the intermediate and upper layers of the water and were caught by the net in descending and ascending. 94. Twaite Shad. Clupea finta, Cuv. All silvery fishes in and about Morecambe Bay are known as ' shads.' The twaite shad is, however, very uncommon. It has been taken in the Mersey (20 October, 1876, Moore, Liver- pool Public Museum), at Formby, and off Blackpool. 95. Eel. Anguilla vulgaris, Turton. Common along the shores in many places. 96. Conger. Conger vulgaris, Cuv. The conger is common in Lancashire waters. It is caught in the trawl and by lines. I have caught it on the Scars in Barrow Channel in low water by the 'gaff.' The immature stage is the APODES well-known Leptocephalus. Mr. A. Scott captured a number of these in 1898 in the Barrow Channel by placing a fine net in the sand gutters through which the last of the tide was ebbing. These, however, were rather the transitional stage between Leptocephalus and the young congers than the true leptocephaline larval stage. GANOIDS 96. Sturgeon. Acipenser sturio, Linn. The sturgeon is not a true member of our local piscine fauna, but is to be regarded as a rather rare visitant. Still, it occurs now and then. Frequently got at Morecambe in Burrow's Balks; a specimen caught at the end of 1904 was between 9-10 feet long. One was caught by some salmon fishermen using a draft net in the Leven. This example was sent to Mr. Broadbent, fishmonger, Barrow, who sent the head to Mr. A. Scott at Piel. The fish was 8 feet long and weighed 4 cwt. 186
