FISHERIES 247 



siderable trade in smoked and dried fish, fresh fish are sent aHve 

 to several of the markets, especially to Kano. At least one tribe, 

 the Bedde, living beside the River Yo, make and store powdered 

 fish in sealed pots for their own use and for trade. There is abun- 

 dant material here for building up well-organized native fisheries, 

 but there is great danger of over-exploitation unless some control 

 is enforced. 



Looking to the future of African colonial fisheries, it is clearly 

 impracticable for every colony to support a fishery department. 

 The control of fisheries is not in itself a matter needing expert 

 knowledge, provided that policy is based on studies and expert 

 advice is available. The Colonial Office had until recently an 

 adviser on fisheries who had not, however, the research staff avail- 

 able to make the necessary studies. It would appear, therefore, that 

 the establishment of a bureau and research centre for colonial 

 fisheries, similar to the department in Paris mentioned below, 

 might be considered. Such an establishment for the British terri- 

 tories would have the duty of keeping in touch with all colonial 

 development and would have a few permanent experts ready to 

 be despatched for terms of field work. For sea fisheries a basis for 

 such an organization might be provided by the Marine Biological 

 Association of the United Kingdom, with its laboratory at Plymouth 

 under the direction of Dr. S. W. Kemp, or by the fisheries research 

 branch of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries with its 

 laboratory at Low^estoft. The Freshwater Biological Association 

 of the British Empire, with its laboratory on Windermere under the 

 direction of Dr. E. B. Worthington, is already in touch with many 

 developments in Africa and might be used for a similar organiza- 

 tion for the fisheries on the lakes and rivers. The East African 

 group of colonies probably have potential fishery resources large 

 enough to warrant a permanent establishment in Africa itself. 



FRENCH 



In the French colonies, the scientific study of fisheries is con- 

 siderably more advanced than in British territory, thanks largely 

 to the enthusiasm of Professor Gruvel, who has a special research 

 and teaching department devoted to the subject at the Museum of 

 Natural History in Paris. Colonial fisheries receive publicity also 



