YOCNG MARKETABLE FISH 61 



man of experience, who has always insisted that all fishing 

 ships should be treated ahke.^ British trawlers, however, can 

 congratulate themselves that the executive head of the Fisheries 

 Division of the Ministry of Agriculture will, as Chairman, have 

 much to say to the decisions to be arrived at in March 1921. 

 Neither he nor his French and Norwegian colleagues are in the 

 least likely to forget the main considerations. 

 These may be summed up as follows : 



1. The Council exists to maintain and protect the supply of 

 fish to the nations. 



2. The supply of fish food will depend, in the main, on the 

 operations of steam and motor vessels. 



3. No restrictions on the operations of these (or other) vessels 

 will be justifiable unless it can be shown definitely that they 

 are hkely to prevent depletion of the stock. 



4. They will not be beneficial unless they can in practice be 

 enforced. 



5. They will not be properly enforced unless the people 

 whose operations will be restricted can be induced to believe in 

 them. 



On questions of scientific fact the opinion of biologists — if 

 checked in the light of experience — should be final. On ques- 

 tions of practicability experience must decide after weighing 

 the data provided by Science. Practice can seldom sanction 

 the absolutely desirable course. Good practice is, and always 

 will be, a compromise between the best conceivable course, and 

 that course which is attainable by an imperfect humanity. 



The Council will fail or succeed in its ultimate object, accord- 

 ing as it does or does not welcome and cultivate the collabora- 

 tion of the men whose livehhood will immediately depend upon 

 the soundness of its recommendations. 



They may, if necessary, be converted. They will never be 

 coerced. 



^ Some people have suggested that lining should be allowed inside pro- 

 hibited areas. But as a liner which is ' gutting ' her fish fouls the bottom by • 

 throwing offal overboard, she probably does as much harm as any trawler. 



