490 CONCLUSION. [CHAV. xi. 



prosecution of these particular fisheries. Surely it would 

 not be difficult, as already suggested, to construct a sea- 

 pond, where we could observe fish-spawn from the time of 

 its deposit till the period at which it quickened into life ; 

 we could then note the growth of the fish, and so fix beyond 

 cavil the period at which our most important food fishes 

 become reproductive. We want a Fisheries Eeform Bill. 

 The time has arrived when the existing laws which 

 govern the British fisheries should be codified and made 

 harmonious ; or better still, be repealed in favour of some 

 comprehensive measure that would at once protect the fish, 

 render fish-food more accessible to the public, and guide 

 fishermen into more intelligent methods of working than 

 they at present adopt. What is chiefly needed is a speedy 

 abolition or reconciliation of the many anomalies that en- 

 cumber our knowledge of the industry of the sea, as also a 

 superintending head to administer the laws ; overlook the 

 collection and tabulation of statistics ; and generally to 

 re-construct, or improve, the economy of our fisheries. In 

 addition to the Scottish Fishery Board we have various 

 fishery inspectors connected with the Board of Works in 

 Ireland we have inspectors or commissioners of salmon 

 fisheries in England, also of oyster fisheries ; but is it not a 

 waste of power to have so many boards? A more con- 

 centrated and responsible authority should preside over an 

 industry so important ; and if we are to have the full ad- 

 vantage of the enormous food supply that may be derived 

 from the sea, let us have only one board to watch over and 

 bring into a focus that which we have only the trouble of 

 reaping which costs us nothing to cultivate, but which is 

 one of the mainstays of the country, namely, the harvest of 

 the sea, 



