42 
to British fisheries, though, if time permitted afterwards, he 
should be glad to say a few words. He would only say 
that if they waited to lock the stable-door until the horse 
was stolen it would be too late. 
Mr. HELYER said Mr. Alward was quite right in advising 
them not to come to any conclusion until they had tho- 
roughly considered the matter, but, from what had been said, 
he thought it was quite necessary that something should be 
done to stop this total destruction. He did not think they 
could do better than leave it in the hands of the Chairman, 
who had already shown his energy with regard to the 
important question of lights on vessels, and persisted in his 
representations to the Board of Trade until something was 
done. He begged to move the following resolution: “ That 
taking into consideration that the question of the destruc- 
tion of immature fish is one of international importance, it 
is in the opinion of this meeting imperative in the public 
interest that an international Conference be held to consider 
the desirability of recommending legislation upon the 
subject ; and this meeting of practical fishermen further 
requests of Her Majesty’s Government to take immediate 
steps to bring about such Conference at the earliest possible 
date.” 
Mr. SMITH (Brixham) seconded the resolution. 
Mr. SIMS (Hull) supported the resolution. As a fisher- 
man of thirty years’ standing, and having had experience 
of the fisheries from the Land’s End to John o’ Groat’s, he 
studied this question for a very long time, and had reviewed 
it very carefully. In Mount’s Bay they used to catch an 
abundance of soles in April and May, ten to fourteen inches 
in length, very few under, but they had all disappeared, or 
nearly so, the reason in his opinion being the small nets 
used in-shore which caught all the small fish before they 
