FISHERY STATISTICS 239 



should be distinguished in the statistics. The 

 approximate locality in which the fish landed 

 were caught should also be included in the re- 

 turns. It would not be necessary to state this 

 with great accuracy. Fishermen have generally 

 a very fair idea where they are fishing, and all 

 the fishing grounds have now local or general 

 names, and these can usually be identified on the 

 charts of the fishing areas round the British 

 Islands. The nature of the fishing gear and 

 the size and equipment of fishing boats are 

 also factors of much importance, and much more 

 information is required on these heads than is 

 at present given. 



There is absolutely no reason why all this 

 information should not be obtained direct from the 

 captains of fishing vessels, or from the fishermen 

 themselves, in the case of shell-fish gatherers, or 

 those who work along-shore or in small rowing 

 boats. At the present time the masters of fishing 

 vessels have to prepare returns of the fish landed for 

 the information of their owners, and there would 

 be no real difficulty in arranging that copies of 

 these returns should be made and sent to the 

 nearest custom-house immediately after the re- 

 turn of the vessel. Such returns would also state 

 where the vessels making them had been fishing. 

 And monthly or even yearly returns might also 

 be furnished, giving particulars as to the vessel 

 and its equipment and crew ; all these returns 



