454 FOREIGN- STATUTES. 



tlic purpose of catcbiug game, and the sale of poisoned .g'rain, seed, or 

 meal for any purpose.' 



Those statutes wliioh prohibit the use of poison, lime, and noxious sub- 

 stances for the killing' of freshwater lish,- and thedischiirge of substances 

 into salt^ or fresh Ayater such as would be likely to injure marine or 

 rivei- fish.** 



The English "Ground Game Act, 1880" ^ prohibits the general use 

 of spring traps for catching ground game, and limits narrowly the uiim- 

 ber of persons authorized to kill such game with firearms. 



"The Fisheries (Dynamite) Act, 1877"'* prohibits the use of dynamite 

 and other explosives for the catching of fish in a public fishery, and 

 '' The Freshwater Fisheries Act, 1878,"extends this prohibition to private 

 waters.' 



In the Dominion of Canada, the use of explosive instruments in the 

 hunting of whales, seals, and porpoises is forbidden by statute;^ and a 

 bill has been introduced into the Canadian House of Commons this pres- 

 ent year, by the Minister of Marine and Fisheries, extending this 

 l)rohibition to all other kinds of tish.^ 



Those statutes have a similar object which prohibit the use of nets 

 of less than a certain size in order to prevent the needless destruction 

 of fish too small for consumption.'" 



Other statutes prohibit the use of nets altogether in certain cases, 

 either directly or through the instrumentality of a Fishery Board, '^ 

 especiallv in localities where they would interfere with the breeding of 

 the fish.i^^ 



The British Salmon Fishery Acts prohibit the taking of salmon, 

 trout, or char by means of lights, laths, jacks, wires, snares, spears, 

 gaffs, strokehalls, snatches, and other like instruments." 



The use of fixed engines for taking salmon is also forbidden, ^^ as well 

 as the breaking of dams or flood-gates with the intention to take 

 salmon or other fish.'^ 



To protect clam and other bait beds from injury another act empow- 

 ers the British Board of Trade to restrict or proliibit the use of the 

 beam trawl for any assigned period."* 



The history of British legislation on the subject of the protection 

 of sea fisheries is instructive. Thirty years ago tliese fisheries were 

 regulated by an elaborate system of protective measures which were 

 all substantially repealed in 18GS upon the recommendation of a Royal 

 Commission. Owing to the unrestricted fishing iu the sea which there- 

 upon ensued, there resulted such a serious dei)letion of the fisheries 

 that another Commission appointed in 1883 recommended a return to 



'26 and 27 Vict., c. 113 Sec. 2; 27 aad 28 Vict., c. 115; 43 and 44 Vict., c. 47 Sees. 

 1,6. 



224 and 25 Vict., c. 97, Sec. 32; c. 109, Sec. 5; 33 and 3 7 Vict., c. 71, Sec. 13. 



351 anil 52 Vict., c. .54, Sees. 1, 2. 



*K. S.Canada, c. 95, Sec. 15. 



■U3 and 44 Vict., c. 47, Sees. 1, 6. 



«40 and 41 Vict., c. 65. 



Ul and 42 Vict., c. 39, Sec. 12. 



»K. S., c. 95, Sec. 6. 



^Honse of Commons Debates, 1892, Vol. 21, pa.sfo 119. 



'"21 and 25 Vict., c. 109, Sec. 10; R. S. Canada, c. 95, Sees. 8, 10, 14. 



" 47 and 48 Vict., c. 11, Sec. 1; R. S. Canada, c. 95, Sees. 8, 14; amended by 54 and 

 55 Vict., c. 43, Sec. 1. 



'■-R. S., c. 95, Sec. 10. 



'324 and 25 Vict.,c. 109, Sees. 8, 9; 28 and 29 Vict., c. 121, Soc. Gl. 



"24 and 35 Vict., c. 10!), Sec. 11. 



>''24 and 25 Vict., c. 97, Sec. 32. 



•'*44and45 Vict., c. 11. 



