AND THE FISH THEREOF. 43 



following in the wake of the most needful requirements. It will thus take 

 years before the much-desired development is brought about, owing chiefly 

 to the difficulty which prevails in attracting the necessary capital. It is, 

 however, ridiculous to hear the complaints which burst forth at times, and 

 which, for want of a better reason, assume the form of an indictment against 

 the Italian trawlers and the bad effects of trawling. 



As a class, fishermen are always given to grumbling. The fluctuations in 

 the yield of their industry are necessarily subject to greater movement than 

 most other trades — fluctuations which are, no doubt, due, in a great measure, 

 to the habits of the migratory class of fish, and the influences, climatory and 

 others, which direct their movements, rather than the direct action of man ; 

 but until more is known on the subject it is impossible to supply a satisfactory 

 explanation for their recurrence. The fishermen often fish by instinct, rather 

 than upon any regulated principles : their success is, to a great extent, due to 

 their luck ; and the assumption is, therefore, permissible, that the rules which 

 guide their efforts may often be at fault. 



The consumers, on their part, set down everything to a decrease in the 

 yield, and purposely ignore all other considerations which bear on the subject, 

 such as the effect of the railways, which has been the principal cause in 

 bringing about an increase of 50 per cent, and more in the prices. 



The usual charges against the trawlers are that they destroy the young 

 fry, frightening away the shoals, preventing their passage to the inner parts of 

 creeks and bays ; but the real objection is, obviously, that the larger hauls 

 by the trawls tend to lower the market price of fish and the profits of the 

 other fishermen. 



Similar disputes have been common elsewhere, and restrictions brought 

 to bear on the use of the trawl, as it has generally turned out, with little or 

 no reason. The subject has been fully gone into by successive Royal 

 Commissions in England, and the result has been an entire condemnation of 

 all restrictions on trawling, as it was distinctly proved that the fluctuations in 

 the yield of the several fisheries had been fully as great after the restrictions 

 had been put in force as before, and, consequently, trawling was again 

 permitted as before, and has increased with wonderful success and rapidity. 



g 2 



