sailors ; initiated to maritime toils by early employ- 

 ment in the fisheries. The Committee repeat that 

 these resources are comparatively untouched ; for 

 it is a fact that, with the exception of a small pro- 

 portion of the country, there is no supply of fish 

 which merits the name of a supply, or it is such a 

 supply as would readily be considered a famine, 

 were it applied to any other article of food in 

 general use among us. 



Although no reason can be assigned which can 

 sufficiently account for so little having been effec- 

 tually done to supply the country with fish, it will 

 not be difficult to point out what has been, and in a 

 measure continues to be, the sources of this evil, 

 as it now presents itself; and we may notice, 



1. The unskilful interference which from the 

 earliest times has been practised with the fisheries, 

 in order to promote their interests, and the want of 

 encouragements suited to their nature, and the 

 character of the persons engaged in them. 



Were we to judge of the condition of the fish- 

 eries from the number of attempts which have 

 been made for their regulation and improvement, 

 we must certainly conclude that nothing could be 

 wanting to render their prosperity complete the 

 statute book abounds with enactments, intended 

 to give them every sort of encouragement ; re- 

 peated ordinances, even under Protestant govern- 

 ments, for the eating of fish on particular days ; 

 compulsory regulations for entering into the service 



