116 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 
As a result of this legislative condition, while the provisions of the conven- 
tion of 1867 were enforceable against British subjects by virtue of the act of 1868, 
it was necessary, when dealing with the offenses of French fishermen, to have 
recourse to the regulations drawn up in 1843 under the convention of 1839. 
Naturally this caused much confusion, and the British sea fisheries act of 1883 
(46 and 47 Vict., ch. 22) repealed the convention act of 1868, so far as the same 
had come into force, with the exception of certain specified sections and articles, 
especially those relating to the numbering and lettering of fishing boats. 
Since 1883 the provisions of the North Sea convention of 1882 ¢ have within 
the limits of the North Sea superseded the regulations of 1843; while outside the 
North Sea and the British exclusive limits, most of the regulations of 1843 are 
regarded as obsolete and are rarely enforced, and they have little effect on the 
fisheries at the present time. It was thought that the success of the North Sea 
convention of 1882 would speedily result in the application of its provisions to 
the Channel fisheries also, but nothing has yet been done in this direction. 
The British ‘‘ Manual for the Guidance of Officers Connected with the Sea 
Fisheries” states that while articles 24-26, 29, 33, 52, and 57-59 of the regula- 
tions of 1843 now apply to French boats outside the exclusive fishery limits in 
the seas between Great Britain and France, ‘‘it must be distinctly understood 
that none of the regulations of 1843 which relate to the size of the mesh of nets, 
the close time for fish other than oysters, or to matters which are repugnant to 
the spirit of the North Sea Fisheries Convention, are to be enforced.” 
THE NORTH SEA CONVENTION OF 1882. 
The most important fishery region of the world is the North Sea, situated 
east of England and Scotland, north of Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany, 
and west of Denmark and Norway. Within its waters, covering about 150,000 
square miles and averaging less than 50 fathoms in depth, about 1,500,000,000 
pounds of fish are taken annually, which is far more than the total weight of all 
the food fish taken on all the coasts and lakes and rivers of the United States. 
Upon these waters are employed thousands of fishermen from the adjoining 
countries. 
During the latter half of the nineteenth century extremely unsatisfactory 
police conditions developed in the fisheries of the North Sea. With thousands 
of vessels fishing in relatively limited areas, much confusion arose, fishing gear 
was carelessly fouled, and in many instances nets were wantonly destroyed as 
the easiest method of freeing them, a special implement being provided for this 
purpose.© There was no uniformity in the display of lights and in marking 
@ See p. 116-121 of this paper. 
b Edition of 1903, p. 9, sec. 23. 
cAn implement known as a “devil’’ had been employed for several years, especially, it is said, by 
the Belgian fishermen. Its manufacture, sale and use were interdicted by a municipal law of Belgium 
dated March 27, 1882. 
