ECONOMIC CONDITIONS OF THE FISHERIES IN ITALY. 329 
of the adjacent population from the earliest times. This blank in the Italian 
statistics is all the more deplorable as it is unqestionably from this source that a 
good deal of revenue from the fishing industry is derived. Of what importance 
these lagoon and delta fisheries, in Italy comprehensively called ‘‘vallicoltura,’’ are 
to aconsiderable number of the Italian population may be seen from a glance at 
the hydrographic map of Italy showing the considerable extent of the Venetian 
lagoon, famous for its mullets; of the Valli di Comacchio, formed by the delta of 
the Po, where the eel, sung by Ariosto and Tasso, is the staple of fishery; and of 
the Mare Piccolo of Taranto, noted for its oyster beds, already celebrated in 
antiquity as were the esculent bivalves from Lakes Fusaro and Lucrino, which 
the Parthenopean siren offers to the visitors with the allurements of White 
Capri. 
It is the fishing on inland waters that has received the greatest attention 
on the part of the Government, although even sea fishing has not been neglected, 
at least from the standpoint of legislation. With the progress of hydrobiology, 
a science which has developed practically within the last fifty years and to 
which the genial labors of such men as Spallanzani, Rusconi, Canestrini, Issel, 
and other Italians have largely contributed, dates the action of the Government 
to the fostering of this branch of national economy. 
The lines upon which governmental action has been directed to the promo- 
tion of the fishing interests are summarized in the following paragraphs: 
First. The policing of maritime and inland waters in order to discipline the 
catching of fish by prohibiting fishing during the time of the spawning and 
reproduction; by fixing the minimum distance from the seashore where fishing 
is allowed, as well as the depth at which fishermen may lower their nets; by 
establishing the kind and quality of the nets and the minimum size of fish that 
is allowed to be marketed; by prohibiting the use of explosives and poisonous 
materials in the catching of fish, and also the use of undesirable fishing apparatus; 
all of which disciplining is done according to the dictates of science with a view 
of regulating the supply, its continuance and increase. The enforcing of the 
laws and regulations on fisheries (the fundamental one of which dates from 1877) 
is intrusted to the captaincies of the ports, to the custom-house officers, to the 
officers of the royal navy in the case of maritime fishing, and to forestal 
officers, local police, and custom officers in the case of inland waters. Unfortu- 
nately this policing of fisheries in Italy leaves yet much to be desired in its appli- 
cation, and the law is frequently violated with great loss to the fishing industry, 
both through the incentive of illegitimate gain, and in a good many cases also 
through mere ignorance. Hence the necessity of insisting upon a greater spread 
of knowledge among the masses of the people regarding the habits of fish, the 
time and way in which their reproduction take place, migrations, and all technical 
information which may be conducive to greater enlightenment on the subject. 
This would be the best measure of prevention against damage often done through 
sheer ignorance. 
