FREE TRADE IN FISHERIES 47 



fish was diminishing. They were aware of the 

 enormous destruction, especially of immature fish, 

 consequent upon the methods of fishing, but regarded 

 this destruction as infinitesimal compared with what 

 normally goes on in Nature, and held that it did no 

 permanent harm to the fisheries. They recommended 

 that all laws regulating fishing in the open seas should 

 be repealed, and, with two exceptions, that similar 

 laws dealing with inshore fisheries should also be 

 repealed ; and they suggested that an Act should be 

 passed dealing with the policing of the seas. The Sea 

 Fisheries Act of 1868 carried these recommendations 

 into effect, removed from the Statute-book over fifty 

 Acts, some dating back for centuries, and rendered it 

 possible for a fisherman to earn his living ' how, when, 

 and where he pleased.' 



But since 1868 much has changed. Beam-trawls 

 continued to be increasingly used down to 1893, since 

 which date they have been replaced, in steam-trawlers, 

 by the more powerful otter-trawl. There has been 

 an immense increase in the employment of steam- 

 vessels. In 1883 the number of steamers was 225, 

 with a tonnage of 6,654 tons; in 1892 the steamers 

 numbered 627, with a tonnage of 28,271. During 

 the same time the number of first - class sailing- 

 vessels had sunk from 8,058 to 7,319, whilst the 

 tonnage was practically stationary 244,097 tons in 

 1883, as compared with 244,668 tons in 1892. The 

 introduction of the use of ice, which took place about 

 1850, and the invention of various methods of renew- 

 ing and aerating the water in the fish-tanks, enabled 

 the boats to remain much longer on the fishing-grounds, 

 and to waste much less time in voyaging to and from 

 the ports where the fish is landed. Further, the time 

 spent on the grounds was appreciably lengthened by 

 the employment of ' carriers,' which collect the fish 

 from the fleet of trawlers and carry it to port. This 



