HISTORY 17 



importance was also very great. Until the 

 nineteenth century, practically the whole 

 of this trade was in their hands except for 

 the participation of the Scots, who also 

 systematically carried on the work from 

 early times. With the Reformation the 

 demand for fish fell off, and the trade 

 gradually declined in importance until the 

 wars of Napoleon. War conditions, besides 

 upsetting European industries generally, 

 increased difficulties of fishing operations 

 and still further lessened the demand. 



The English were encouraged to take up 

 fishing |as a livelihood by Elizabeth, who 

 desired to fit men for a seafaring life so 

 that their maritime experiences and abilities 

 could be called upon in an emergency in 

 defence of the country. To support this 

 object people were required by law to eat 

 fish. Trawl-fishing, however, was not a 

 settled industry in England until the 

 middle of last century. Until then, fisher- 

 men generally used small open boats quite 

 near to the coast, and sold their catches 

 themselves in the streets of the towns where 

 they landed. The trade was confined to 

 the coast districts ; for, with bad roads, no 

 2 



