12 BRITISH FISHERIES 



was again practised. Then a Treasury Committee 

 considered the matter, and found that the only 

 effect of the enactment was " to keep a consider- 

 able population in the habitual and successful 

 violation of the law." They recommended its 

 repeal, and, in consequence of this report, the 

 operation of the Act was practically suspended. 

 But disputes again arose, and the Board most 

 sensibly tried to obtain an Act enabling them 

 to restrict or prohibit seining wherever circum- 

 stances made this desirable. A Bill was intro- 

 duced by the Lord Advocate for this purpose ; 

 but in consequence of a strong agitation by the 

 fish merchants and curers, the intentions of the 

 Board were totally changed, and the Bill passed 

 into law as an Act 1 containing a much more 

 stringent prohibition of " trawling " than that of 

 1851. It was put in force, and for a time two 

 gunboats and a strong force of police were 

 stationed in Loch Fyne and the Firth of Clyde. 

 Even then it was found impossible to put down 

 " trawling," and yet another Act 2 was passed in 

 1 86 1, which provided not only for fine or im- 

 prisonment, but also for confiscation of the boats 

 and nets used, and the catches of fish made, in 

 contravention of the prohibition. Being rigorously 

 enforced, even to the extent that on one occasion a 

 fisherman was shot dead in Loch Fyne, this latter 



1 23 and 24 Viet. c. 92 (1860). 



2 24 and 25 Viet c. 72. 



