284 OPERATIONS OF THE FISHERY BOARD. [CHAP. vi. 



Scotland to be most useful in aiding the regulation of the 

 fishery, and in collecting statistics of the catch ; their func- 

 tions, however, might be considerably extended, and elevated 

 to a higher order of usefulness, especially as regards the 

 various questions in connection with the natural history of 

 the fish. The operations of the Board might likewise be 

 extended for a few seasons to a dozen of the largest English 

 fishing-ports, in order that we might obtain confirmation of 

 what is so often rumoured, the falling off of our supplies of 

 sea-food. There are various obvious abuses also in connection 

 with the economy of our fisheries that ought to be remedied, 

 and which an active Board could remedy and keep right ; and 

 a body of naturalists and economists might easily be kept up 

 at a slight toll of say a guinea per boat. 



