156 EEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



Norway, however, the Government requires that the herring which are 

 found to have in their stomachs certain kinds of food shall bekeptalive, 

 inclosed in the nets until this food is absorbed, as otherwise the fish 

 cannot be preserved for any length of time, thereby affecting their 

 quality as food. Still more generally is there an inspection of fish by 

 the State after they have been put up, the packages being marked by 

 Government officials, who are supposed to be beyond danger of any 

 corrupt influence in making the distinctions as to quality. 



There is, perhaps, no nation in the world where there are fewer reg- 

 ulations and restrictions in regard to the sea fisheries than in the United 

 States, no response having been made either by the General Govern- 

 ment or by the State to the numerous appeals to take the subject under 

 their jurisdiction, and to prevent whatisclaimed to be improper methods, 

 or unseasonable times of capturing fish, or undesirable modes of pre- 

 serving them. 



There are, however, in several of the States, especially of New Eng- 

 land, State inspectors of fish who brand the packages, in accordance 

 with the quality of the fish, these marks guiding the purchaser in his 

 selection and in the price to be paid by him. 



Although the propriety of maintaining such restrictions has been 

 questioned, on the ground that all these matters should be subject to 

 the general law of demand and supply, and to individual reputation, 

 yet it is not likely that any change will be made. While it is compara- 

 tively easy in many cases to enforce regulations in regard to fishing 

 and the treatment of fish near the shores and under the jurisdiction 

 and supervision of officers, it becomes a much more difficult matter 

 when the fishing is prosecuted at a distance, as in this country on the 

 George's Bank, the Grand Bank, &c. It is, of course, possible to send 

 Government cruisers to accompany the fishing fleets, to see that the 

 fishermen obey the laws in this matter, and this is done to some extent 

 by the Norwegian, Dutch, English, and French Governments, the two 

 latter maintaining a sea police, more to prevent encroachments by the 

 opposite nation upon the fishing-grounds, or injury or outrage upon 

 their own vessels. Great Britain, too, bas during some years main- 

 tained a certain number of armed vessels within her dominions in North 

 America to prevent the encroachments of the American and French 

 fishermen. The United States, however, has never had any provision 

 of this kind, but has allowed the sea fisheries to regulate themselves 

 entirely. Some of the States supply armed protection to their oyster 

 fisheries, both Maryland and Virginia having now, or until quite re- 

 cently, such a provision. 



The propriety of international agreement in regard to certain modes 

 of fishing has not unfrequently been urged, and more particularly it has 

 been proposed that the United States and Great Britain have an agree- 

 ment to prohibit the use of the trawl or long-line on the Banks of New- 

 foundland and in other portions of the high seas. Apart, however, from 



