i FISHERMEN IN WAR TIME 



particular cases ; for example, so that the food sup- 

 ply might be increased, the competent naval autho- 

 rity for Ramsgate, Deal and district issued on 

 August 18, 191 7, a proclamation relaxing the severe 

 regulations which governed fishing in the roadstead 

 of the Downs. Previously the limit laid down since 

 the war began in which fishing was allowed off Deal 

 and in Pegwell Bay was only half-a-mile from the 

 shore. A much wider area was covered by the new 

 Order, which permitted fishing to be carried on by 

 any method from a point known as Deal Bank, which 

 was approximately a mile and a quarter from the 

 shore. 



The concession enabled professional fishermen and 

 anglers to get to the deeper waters of the outer 

 Downs, where fish of many kinds abounded in ab- 

 normal quantities, a,nd were of unusually fine and 

 large size. The new Order was to continue in force 

 until the end of the following January — a period of 

 nearly six months. This concession was interesting 

 and satisfactory, as showing the wish and readiness 

 of the naval authorities to make every possible 

 allowance with the object of getting valuable sup- 

 plies from the sea to augment the food resources of 

 the country. Similar concessions were made in 

 other localities as circumstances arose, and the con- 

 cessions resulted in great benefit to the fishing 

 community. 



Prices of fish fluctuated violently and it seemed 

 impossible to regulate them satisfactorily. The 

 great difficulty of taking effective steps to regulate 



198 



