78 MUSSEL CULTURE 



greatest importance in the present connection, we 

 shall, at the same time, strive to include all 

 matters of interest to those who may seek private 

 right of fishery, or whose beds may naturally be 

 classed under heading A. 



In public estuaries, rights of navigation are 

 considered legally to have a claim superior to 

 those of fishing. The public are still entitled, 

 although a grant of fishings exists, to free passage 

 in all such estuaries, and on the banks. The sea 

 and the sea-shore are in the same way free for • 

 all purposes of navigation. Further, a private 

 right of mussel-fishery does not exclude the public 

 right of white-fish fishing in water which may 

 cover the scalps. At the same time, by the Sea 

 Fisheries Act of 1868, this public right is re- 

 stricted to the use of such methods as are not 

 injurious to shell-fish. 



Foreshore, for all legal purposes, is that part of 

 the soil of the country situated between high and 

 low water marks. Estuarine beds are therefore 

 very largely situated on the foreshores as well as 

 on the bottom of the channels which are constantly 

 covered by water. 



