8 MODERN SEA FISHING 



secretary, and may be termed the principal founder of the 

 Society, is Mr. F. G. Aflalo. He has been succeeded by Mr. 

 Henry Ball. I had the honour of presiding over the public 

 meeting at which the Society was formed. Provided the British 

 Sea Anglers' Society, which has offices at 66 Haymarket, is suf- 

 ficiently supported, it will be able to do a very great deal for 

 the benefit, not only of its members, but of many others who 

 are interested in sea fishing. It is in the first place a corporate 

 collector of information from corresponding members dwelling 

 at or visiting different parts of the coast. It aims at establish- 

 ing branches in all important sea-coast towns, with boats and 

 men of their own, and has in many places made arrangements 

 with the boatmen and hotel-keepers for special terms for its 

 members. It has already induced some of the railway com- 

 panies to issue tickets to its members at greatly reduced fares 

 to certain places on the east coast during the autumn months. 

 As the subscription is a nominal sum, the list of members 

 ought to grow apace. I believe at present there are about three 

 hundred, not including those belonging to the branch societies at 

 Scarborough and Yarmouth, of which Mr. J. W. Blakey, editor 

 of the ' Angler,' and Mr. Lovewell Blake are the honorary secre- 

 taries respectively. Some day the Society may become a power 

 in the land, and its advice may be sought on the many difficult 

 problems the Government have to face when legislating for 

 the better preservation of sea fish. The opinions given by the 

 professional sea fishermen are, as a rule, unconsciously biased 

 by personal considerations. The worthy fellows are very apt to 

 form rough and ready conclusions which a scientific observer 

 with a quarter of their experience could say with certainty were 

 inaccurate. The members of the British Sea Anglers' Society, 

 on the other hand, come of a class consisting mainly of intelli- 

 gent, educated men, and their observations on baits, the migra- 

 tion of fish, and kindred matters are likely to be of considerable 



