266 BRITISH FISHERIES 



and (3) all the time the average catch per vessel 

 gradually fell. 



Now, is this a good method ? Such a question 

 brings us to the consideration of what is meant by 

 the term " fisheries impoverishment." 



The total quantity of fish landed on the shores of the 

 British Islands may remain stationary during a series of 

 years^ or it may actually decrease. If the population 

 during that time had increased, and if the demand 

 for fish food had been maintained, we should have 

 " fisheries impoverishment " from the public (the 

 consumer's) point of view. But from the point of 

 view of the fisherman or the fish-merchant there 

 might be no impoverishment, for it might have 

 happened that no more, or even fewer, vessels had 

 been engaged in the industry during the period in 

 question. 



The quantity of fish actually present on the fishing 

 grounds of the British Islands is less now than it was 

 thirty or forty years ago. Therefore it is harder to 

 make a good catch. Vessels have to go further 

 afield ; they become larger and more powerful ; 

 they have to employ heavier and more effective 

 fishing gear. This is what the fishermen under- 

 stand by " fisheries impoverishment," and it is the 

 proper meaning of the term. 



But is the average catch per vessel a test of the 

 existence or degree of such impoverishment ? It 

 is necessary to point out, in the first place, that the 

 statistics of English fisheries, both of the number, 



