152 THE RELATIONS OF THE STATE WITH 



of " any traul-net, drag-net, or set-net whatsoever, for the 

 catching of any kind of sea fish (except herrings, pilchards, 

 sprats, or lavidnian), which hath any mesh or moke of less 

 size than three inches and a half at least from knot to knot, 

 or which hath any false or double bottom cod or pouch." 

 It also established a standard of size for certain specified 

 Sale of small kinds of fish, under which no such fish were to be sold. In 

 view of the recent agitation for fresh legislation of this 

 kind, it may be useful to quote the minimum sizes so 

 fixed :- 



Turbot . . . . . . . 1 6 inches 



Brill 14 



Codlin, bass, and mullet . . . . 12 



Sole and dab, or " place "... 8 



Flounder ...... 7 



Whiting 6 



The measurements in each case were to be taken from 

 the eye to the utmost extent of the tail.* 



These limitations of size, however, gave rise to a fresh 

 complication, which a new Act (22 Geo. II. c. 49) was 

 Necessity for required to remove. It was found that, as this Act ex- 

 Passed it, "several of the said fish are taken with a hook, 

 and, though " (being undersized) " thrown again into the sea, 

 cannot be preserved alive ; " and so the prohibition of the 

 sale of undersized fish was removed, " provided such fish are 

 taken with a hook, and so not fit or capable of being pre- 

 served alive." But this relaxation of the law was taken 

 advantage of to send to the market " undersized fish, 

 though not taken with an hook ; " and Parliament finding, 

 as it confesses in 29 Geo. II. c. 39, that "such liberty hath 

 not been attended with such good effects as was expected, 



* To this list 33 Geo. II. c. 27 added smelts under 5 inches from 

 the nose to the utmost extent of the tail. 



