OF THE GRIMSBY TRAWL FISHERY. 44.5, 
much as on our own. There is no foreign market which would 
tempt our boats to take cargoes of small plaice thither, and if such 
should be created in the future, I believe the beauties of free trade 
are not so thoroughly appreciated on the Continent as to allow of the 
long duration of a trade of this sort. The drawbacks entailed by 
the elimination from our markets of the large quantity of small 
plaice at present landed there are not of great importance, since I 
understand that the small plaice trade is chiefly of a speculative 
character, and not much affected by salesmen of repute. 
I need hardly repeat that whatever penalty may attach to the 
sale of undersized fish must attach equally to their landing, and that. 
it is essential that different districts should be treated according to 
their respective requirements. The remarks which are given above 
apply to the North Sea; whether any, and, if so, what size limit is 
required in other districts, I do not pretend to determine, since all 
the information which I have on the subject is equally available to 
the general public. ‘This much is certain, that the matter cannot 
be rationally treated except in relation to the requirements of the 
locality, and there is absolutely no valid objection to discrimination as 
between one coast and another. 
I cannot accept the Committee’s argument that the hardship to 
inshore fishermen involved by a rational size limit is a valid reason 
against the employment of the latter. To me it appears that the 
destruction of immature fish stands on much the same footing as the 
pollution of rivers and other nuisances formerly associated with 
manufacturing enterprise. No doubt the measures taken against 
this pollution involved hardships to the manufacture, from the 
capitalist down to the factory hand, but the public has none the less 
approved them. Personally, if one may be permitted to illustrate 
so dry a controversy by a reference to humorous literature, the 
relative merits of the inshore and deep-sea fisherman in regard to 
the destruction of small fish seem to me to stand on much the same 
footing as the Walrus and the Carpenter in “ Alice through the 
Looking Glass,’—one ate more oysters than the other, but the other 
ate as many as he could get! However, if the assembled wisdom of 
Parlament chooses to consider that its business is rather to settle 
the squabbles of rival classes of fishermen than to take measures to 
increase the fish supply, one can but regret it. 
As to the other remedial propositions noticed, I need only repeat 
that an extension of the territorial limit, however desirable, is not 
practicable. A close season without an absolute cessation of 
trawling is useless, restrictions of mesh are only practicable within 
limits which would not permit of flat-fish being very materially 
benefited, though they are desirable in the interests of young round- 
