224 BRITISH FISHERIES 



and which are necessarily treated somewhat 

 inadequately. But a complete statistical statement 

 of the number of fishes of the species considered, 

 and of the different ranges of size, landed by fisher- 

 men from the areas in question would provide the 

 data necessary, when supplemented by scientific 

 investigation, for a complete understanding of the 

 question. 



Now, such considerations have always been 

 present in the minds of those who have conducted 

 inquiries into the condition of the sea-fisheries, and 

 successive governments have repeatedly been 

 advised to institute the collection of systematic 

 fishery statistics. The Royal Commission of 1863, 

 embarrassed by the lack of data on which to found 

 an opinion as to whether the sea-fisheries were 

 decreasing, were stationary, or were increasing, 

 drew attention to this matter. " We think it a 

 matter of great importance," they reported in 

 1866, "that fishery statistics should be systemati- 

 cally collected. It is only by such means that the 

 constant recurrence of the panics to which the 

 sea-fishing industry has hitherto been subjected 

 can be prevented, and that any trustworthy 

 conclusions can be arrived at regarding the effect 

 of the modes of fishing which are in use." 1 No 

 attention was paid to these words, and in 1878, 

 when another inquiry had to be made into the 

 alleged falling off of the fish-supply, the same lack 



1 Report of the Royal Commission ^"1863 (8vo ed.), p. 178. 



