666 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



streams, rivers, lakes, and large brooks ; a proper indemnity being, of 

 course, paid to the former privilege-holders. In making such a change, 

 three methods or systems of developing the fisheries may be distin- 

 guished. 



The first method would be for the state to lease the fisheries in large 

 portions, and by the terms of the lease oblige the lessee to protect and 

 increase the stock of fish. This system is at present in vogue in France 

 and Belgium. 



The second method would be for the state to sell the different water- 

 courses and sheets of water in large and properly connected portions, as 

 is done at the present time in England. 



According to the third method, the state makes the fisheries free by 

 issuing a certain limited number of fishing-permits, as is done in several 

 cantons of Switzerland. 



The two first mentioned methods presuppose that there is a sufficient 

 number of capitalists who are willing to rent or buy the fisheries in 

 large portions, and to carry them on in a rational manner ; and all three 

 methods presuppose that the state has become the exclusive pro- 

 prietor of all the fishing-privileges, either by free agreement, or, as this 

 can be hoped for only in a few exceptional cases, by an intricate and 

 uncertain buying-off system, so that, at any rate, all those persons who 

 earned their living from the fisheries should have no cause to complain. 



All these different suppositions and conditions on which a radical 

 change of the fishing-privileges would be beneficial to the fisheries do 

 not exist with us, and the obstacles in the way of reform would be 

 almost insurmountable. 



Similar propositions have recently also been made in other countries, 

 as in Italy. But even there, where there is no opposition from principle to 

 such propositions, it is considered necessary, first of all, to make a good 

 fishing-law. The Italian report says, "As soon as such a law shall have 

 shown its beneficial effect, capitalists will be easily found willing to buy 

 or rent our lake-fisheries, and then the time will have arrived to carry 

 out the bold reform which has been proposed." 



There is another proposition, to turn over the fisheries in large waters 

 to the town or village communities owning the rights of the shore; and 

 in other waters, ponds excepted, to the owners of the ground along the 

 shore; to facilitate the buying-off in both cases by a law, which law 

 should also, by forming suitable fishing-districts, regulate operations 

 still further, such districts either to be leased or worked in the interest 

 of the inhabitants of the shores. 



The fisheries, or the usufruct thereof, were in future to be under con- 

 trol of districts, communities, or private individuals, or of whichever 

 of these had paid the indemnity. The transfer should either be made 

 on a certain day by law, and the indemnity paid later, just as in buying 

 off privileges resting on landed property, and in accordance with the 

 ordinance of September 7, 1848, or, only after the indemnity had been 



