118 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 
vessels for identification. And there was an absence of regulations for prevent- 
ing collisions between vessels working in close proximity to each other. 
For the purpose of remedying these unsatisfactory conditions and for 
policing the fisheries outside territorial waters, there was a conference of the 
interested Governments at The Hague in 1881 and again in 1882, to discuss pro- 
visions for joint regulations. This resulted in a convention signed on May 6, 
1882, by delegates from Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, 
and the Netherlands, power being reserved for adherence by Norway and Sweden. 
This is doubtless the most important document ever drawn up in connection 
with international police of the fisheries. 
The principal stipulations of this convention are as follows:? Article 1 
restricts the provisions of the convention to subjects of the contracting parties. 
Articles 2 to 4 define the limits of territorial jurisdiction and the limits of the 
North Sea for the purposes of the-convention. Articles 5 to 13 provide rules 
for registering, numbering, and lettering vessels for identification, and the mark- 
ing of small boats, nets, etc. All the fishing vessels must be registered and the 
registers are exchanged between the powers; every vessel bears in white oil 
color on black ground its name, number, and the initial of its harbor, and like- 
wise carries an official voucher of its nationality. Articles 14 to 24 provide 
minute restrictions on fishermen in the conduct of their various operations so 
as to avoid collisions and to prevent injury to the nets and other apparatus. 
Article 25 refers to the salvage of fishing vessels, boats, nets, lines, ete. Articles 
26 to 37 relate to the supervision of the fisheries by cruisers of the different 
nations and to the prosecution of offenses against the convention. The execut- 
ing of regulations respecting documents, marking boats and equipment, and 
the use of interdicted implements was placed under the exclusive superintend- 
ence of the cruisers of the nation of each fishing boat; but cruisers of any one 
of the several nations were made competent to authenticate all infractions of 
the regulations other than these. For this purpose they have the right to visit, 
search, and arrest; but a seized vessel must be conveyed to a harbor of her flag 
state and turned over to the authorities there. All violations are to be tried by 
the courts of the state to which the contravening vessels belong; but cases of 
minor damage may be arbitrated at sea by the commanders of the cruisers 
should the parties concerned agree to it. This superintendence by cruisers is 
authorized only in respect to boats belonging to nations which are parties to 
the convention, and only when such boats are within the North Sea as defined 
by the convention. Articles 38 to 39 provide that the convention shall be rati- 
fied, and shall continue in operation until one of the powers gives notice of 
intention to terminate it; and in that event the convention shall be maintained 
among the other powers unless they give a similar notice. 
a The articles are given in full in Appendix C (page 163 of this paper). The matter is treated in 
great detail by Hacke, Einige Opmerkingen over het Politietoezicht op Zee, in verband met de Zeevis- 
scherij-Conventie van 6 Mei 1882, Amsterdam, 1885; and by Rykere, Le régime légal de la péche 
maritime dans la Mer de Nord, Paris, rgor. 
