(azo) 
V. THE CONSTITUTION AND WORK OF THE LANCASHIRE 
AND WESTERN SEA FISHERIES COMMITTEE. 
1. CONSTITUTION AND OBJECTS. 
The remarks in this chapter refer principally to the work of the Lancashire Sea 
Fisheries Committee, as it was not until last year (1900) that the two Fisheries Committees, the 
Lancashire and the Western, were amalgamated, and previously to that our work was entirely 
with the Lancashire Committee. 
The Lancashire Sea Fisheries Committee was constituted in 1890, and consisted of the 
following 64 members :— 
Representatives of the Lancashire County Council.. Sc oc ae EeeeeLe 
One representative each from the Cheshire and Gitaberland Comey Councils 2 
Representatives of the County Boroughs of Lancashire and Cheshire ... eno a7) 
Representatives of the Salmon Boards ape ats ays iG 0 noo, 
Members appointed by the Board of Trade ... eae aa we ase Jay ie) 
The object of Sea Fisheries Committees is to protect and improve the sea fisheries, in 
order that the fish supply to the public may be increased, or at any rate maintained,* and also 
to protect and assist the means of livelihood of the fishermen. 
Before the constitution of Sea Fisheries Committees, fishermen fished when and where 
they wished, used any kind of net, or size of mesh, and captured fish regardless of size or 
condition. Laws were in force regulating the taking of oysters, game, and salmon, but none 
to prevent the immense destruction of immature and undersized sea-fish which was daily taking 
place, or to prevent the use of instruments and methods of fishing which, in time, would 
destroy the fisheries. 
Amongst the first to call for legislation were the fishermen of Lancashire, and the first 
Sea Fisheries Committee to be constituted was that of Lancashire. The prime mover in 
effecting this was Mr. John Fell, of Ulverston, the present chairman of the Lancashire and 
Western Sea Fisheries Committee, and who, prior to the recent amalgamation, had been 
chairman of the Lancashire Sea Fisheries Committee from its foundation. 
The powers given to sea fisheries committees are chiefly :— 
For restricting or prohibiting, either absolutely or subject to such regulations as 
may be provided by the bye-laws, any method of fishing for sea-fish, or the use 
of any instrument of fishing for sea-fish. 
For determining the size of mesh, form, and dimensions of any instrument of 
fishing for sea-fish. 
For prohibiting or regulating the deposit or discharge of any solid or liquid 
substance detrimental to sea-fish or sea-fishing. 
For fixing the size and condition at which shell-fish, crabs, and lobsters may not 
be removed from a fishery. 
* To give some idea of the importance of Sea Fisheries in the food supply of this country, the Board of 
Trade returns for 1900 show that the value of fish first /anded direct from the fishing g grounds, including shell-fish, 
was 49,678,000. Of course, by the time it reached the consumer, that value would be very much increased, 
