OUR FISHERIES 83 



the safest shots, and these birds would in many cases have to 

 be shot within range of our seaside parades, or at least of other 

 pleasure craft. In these circumstances the uninterrupted 

 survival of every cormorant and black-backed gull at present 

 in active existence or in the egg would perhaps be preferable, 

 even at the risk of an accompanying diminution in the fish 

 supply. The remedy might conceivably be worse than the evil, 

 since there are folks who would rather do without fish for the 

 rest of their life than spend it wandering about the world 

 blind in both eyes. 



The National Sea Fisheries Protection Association, a body 

 over which, in succession to Sir Edward Birkbeck, Lord 

 Heneage ably presides, takes account of these and other 

 measures likely to improve the condition of the fisheries, and 

 its conferences, if not immediately productive of legislation, 

 have frequently elicited interesting and clear-sighted discussion 

 of the various problems under review. 



