87 



(ii) that marine cultural operations are not at 

 present advisable except in the matter of shell-fish, 

 especially oysters, in the various backwaters ; 



(12) that with one small exception restrictive rules 

 are not at present suggested or needed, but that close 

 observation is necessary over a series of years on both 

 coasts (a) -to ascertain for the fishermen the character of 

 the deeper waters and the movements of fish especially 

 of shoalers, and (/;) to ascertain spawning places and 

 seasons in view to decide whether any restrictive rules 

 may become necessary ; this observation to be carried 

 out at sea, at experimental stations, and at fish-curing 

 yards. 



5. Steam is of recent introduction in EtLrope and 

 generally unnecessary at present in Madras Toaters. — Even 

 in Great Britain steam is of the most recent introduction; 

 prior to 1880 the whole of the then vast and highly 

 organized industry was conducted by sailing craft which 

 in turn had steadily evolved by gradual development ; 

 sixty years ago in Scotland most of the boats were small 

 and open ; they were then enlarged and decked, and 

 these in turn some 25 years ago began to give place to 

 the steamer. It was the enormous effective demand for 

 high class fresh fish caused by rapid communication on a 

 vast network of railways, coupled with immense enter- 

 prise, large capital, thorough organization, abundance of 

 cheap ice, etc., which led at first to the development of 

 large sailing craft working the most approved and deadly 

 implement such as the 50-foot beam trawl, the drift net 

 miles in length, the long lines with 7,000 hooks, and by 

 consequence, to such comparative depletion of the nearer 

 waters and to such competition that the fishermen were 

 forced to go further and further afield ; cheap coal and 

 ice and a rise in the prices of fish then made steamers 

 and long voyages possible, and to-day the steam fishing 

 boat capable of and habituated to voyages of a thousand 

 miles and able to weather the storms of any sea, are 

 leading features of the British industry. But even in 

 England steam is by no means universal ; wherever the 

 fishing grounds are comparatively near and coal compa- 

 ratively dear, the sailer holds its own ; the Brixham, 

 Ramsgate, and other Channel or near- home trawlers are 

 all sailers, as are the French luo Qrers which one meets off 

 Ushant, the Scilly Isles, etc., and so in many other places ; 



