600 MISCELLANEOUS 



EXTRACT FROM " THE FISHERY LAWS," BY FREDERICK POLLOCK, 

 ISSUED BY THE INTERNATIONAL FISHERIES EXHIBITION, 

 LONDON, 1883. [] 



******* 



In 1843 a Convention was made between England and France for 

 the establishment of a common set of fishery rules on the coasts of 

 either country; the purpose being not so much the preservation of 

 sea-fish as the prevention of strife between fishermen of the two na- 

 tions, and avoidance of difficulties about jurisdiction. In 1868 a new 

 Convention was made intended to supersede the former one; and 

 being confirmed by Parliament 6 and gazetted as the Act provided, it 

 became, and it is at present, the law governing British fishermen in 

 British waters. But it was never ratified by the French Legislature, 

 so that in French waters the old Convention of 1843 is still in force ; 

 and French fishermen cannot be proceeded against except under that 

 Convention for offences against the fishery police of our coasts." 



Under the Act of 18G8 all British fishing boats have to be lettered, 

 numbered, and registered. The letters indicate a port or station hav- 

 ing a separate collectorship of customs, and every station has its own 

 set of numbers. The details are worked out by an Order in Council 

 of June 18, 1869. By supplementary regulations of February 26, 

 1880, open boats not going out beyond the three-mile limit are ex- 

 empt. Naval and revenue officers and the coastguard have by the 

 Act and Orders in Council large powers of search and seizure, and the 

 fines for not having the name, number, &c., duly painted on a boat 

 may amount to 20. 



The Convention lays down a number of rules (which it is impos- 

 sible to abridge) as to fishing- vessels carrying lights, 4 not interfering 

 with one another's operations, and abstaining, except in certain cases 

 of necessity, from entering the French fishery limits. 



In 1881-2 an International Conference was held at the Hague to 

 discuss proposals for establishing a joint fisher}^ police in the North 

 Sea. The result was a Convention signed on May 6, 1882, by the 

 delegates of England, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, France and 

 the Netherlands (power being reserved for Sweden and Norway to 

 come in). It contains rules as to lettering, numbering, and official 

 papers; as to the duty of boats not to interfere with each other's 

 fishing, with a special prohibition of " any instrument or engine 

 which serves only to cut or destroy nets; " e and as to the manner in 

 which the Convention is to be carried out, and the superintendence 

 of the fisheries exercised, by the cruisers of the several contracting 

 Powers. This Convention has not yet acquired legal force as regards 



Published by William Clowes and Sons, London, 1883. 



6 31 & 32 Viet. c. 45. 



c See 40 & 41 Viet. c. 42, s. 15. 



* The rule as to lights was made more specific in 1879 by an Order in Council 

 (Regulations for preventing Collisions at Sea) under the Merchant Shipping 

 Acts. Since September 1. 1881, till which date the operation of the Order was 

 afterwards suspended, fishing-vessels out with drift-nets ought to carry two 

 red lights on the mast, and trawlers a red and a green light. I doubt whether 

 the rule is much observed in practices. 



e Such an instrument, known as the " devil," has been used by Belgian sail- 

 ors and fishermen to the great grievance of the fishermen of other nations. 

 Its use, sale, and manufacture are now prohibited by a Belgian law of March 

 27, 1882. 



