136 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



Conclusions of the English Commissioners. 



The English, however, have been over this ground pretty 

 thoroughly. Fearing that the improved methods might 

 exhaust the fish along their coast, the British government 

 appointed a commission to investigate the matter. 



This commission, composed of James Caird, Prof. T. H. 

 Huxley and Geo. Shaw Lefevre, was appointed in 1863 by 

 the Queenj to inquire into the following points : — 



1 . Whether the supply of fish from the sea-fisheries is increas- 

 ing, stationary, or diminishing. 



2. "Whether any of the methods of catching fish in use in such 

 fisheries involve a wasteful destruction of fish or spawn ; and, if 

 so, whether it is probable that any legislative restriction upon such 

 method of fishing would result in an incx'ease of the supply of fish. 



3. Whether any existing legislative restrictions operate injuri- 

 ously upon any of such fisheries. 



After three years of careful research, the commission 

 reported as follows : — 



In conclusion, we are clearly of opinion : — 



1. That fishing by the use of the beam-trawl is the source of by 

 far the greatest and most progressive supply of fish, other than 

 herring, to the principal markets of this country ; that certain 

 descriptions of fish, such as soles and pLaice, could not be largely 

 supplied by any other mode of fishing ; that it engages the largest 

 capital, employs the most numerous body of hardy fishermen, is 

 the least under the control of the weather, and obtains the greatest 

 returns of fish for the labor and capital employed. 



2. That there is no reason to believe that trawling in the open 

 sea destroys the spawn of fisli. 



3. That trawling in the open sea involves the capture of a cer- 

 tain very variable proportion of small fish, which is wasted or not, 

 according to circumstances. 



4. That there is no evidence to show that trawling has perma- 

 nently diminished the supply of fish from any trawling ground, but 

 that there is proof to the contrary. 



5. That trawling in the open sea has not interfered with the 

 supply of fish from line nshermcn ; unless it be by catcliing, in a 

 more expeditious and regular manner, fish which the line fishermen 

 might have taken. 



