"There is a river in South Devon which nowadays has only a very late autumn
run because a reservoir built in the headwaters retains so much of the
water that it is only in autumn and winter that salmon can exist in the
river or reach the spawning beds. For some years the local Fishery Board
took a number of these salmon for examination, and there was a project
to try and exterminate them since, as they only began to run in late December,
which is in the close season for the district, they are useless, and the
young consume food which would be better employed in feeding the brown
trout. The condition of these kelts in January is better that that of many
fish in the other rivers in the area in September before they have spawned
, simply because they fed up to within a few weeks of spawning. Another
interesting thing about these very late runners is that, although the river
is a very small one, the average size of the salmon is much higher than
those in the bigger rivers in the district. This also is obviously the
direct result of their long stay in the sea and short fast in the river."
