650 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



nritted for catching A bramis brama, Coregonus Wartmanni, Salmo salveli- 

 nns, and pike; tbeir number and size is accurately given; angles are 

 prohibited as well as several other fishing-implements, because the lake 

 had thereby been almost depopulated; the places where each fisherman 

 may operate, and the fishing seasons are very accurately defined. 



By a special regulation, the peasants near the Mond Lake are forbid- 

 den to dig ponds and stock them with fish, because they are in the habit 

 of taking the food-fish which they require for their ponds from the lake. 

 The peasants had at that time dug a great number of such ponds. The 

 hereditary lessees of fisheries, however, were permitted to have ponds 

 for finer fish, especially for pike. 



The length below which pike, Abramis brama, Coregonus Wartmanni, 

 and Salmo salvelimis, must not be caught, is exactly prescribed; the law 

 contains drawings of these fish in their natural size and of the meshes of 

 nets. If smaller fish get into the nets, they shall, without injuring them, 

 be put back into the lake. 



The number of fishing-boats, the manner in which they are to be used, 

 and the rules regarding the sale of fish are exactly prescribed. The 

 government has the first bid, as merchants must first offer their fish 

 for sale to the lords of the manor. Even those sent to the court of 

 the archbishop of Salzburg are to be supplied by the fish-merchants 

 in accordance with rules set down by the archi-episcopal fish-master. 



The archbishop and the abbot each appoints an overseer of fisheries 

 from the number of his officers. These overseers are to punish all 

 violations of the law, and shall, once or twice a year, examine all fishing- 

 implements and remedy all defects. The fishing-law, like all similar 

 laws, is to be read and revised at the annual fishery-courts. 



A law on the catching of fish and crawfish, made for the fishermen 

 and fish-merchants of the city of Vienna in 1557 by the Emperor Ferdi- 

 nand, regulates the trade in Vienna and shows the great wealth of the 

 industry at the time; numerous places in the city being assigned to 

 the fishermen for selling their stock. 



The present fishing -law. — In 1864, reports on the fishing-privileges and 

 fishing-laws of the several provinces of Austria were prepared by the 

 minister of the interior. These reports and other more recent investi- 

 gations have shown that there is the greatest variety of privileges 

 and laws in the different provinces. The right to fish, especially in 

 public waters and lakes, sometimes is claimed by the state as a royal 

 prerogative, sometimes by communities, convents, former lords of the 

 manor or other private individuals, in the shape of a privilege or a free 

 possession, either tor or without payment, or is exercised without any 

 privilege or title whatever. Fishing in private waters is sometimes car- 

 ried on by the owners of the waters or of the shores, sometimes by 

 third persons as an independent right on soil not their own, mostly by 

 former lords of the manor ami other private individuals, by convents 

 and communities; all of these basing their rights on widely different 

 titles. 



