FISHERMEN AND FISHERIES, 21 1 



The value of an accurate knowledge of the habits of fish, 

 as a preliminary to legislation, has been abundantly proved 

 in the case of the salmon fisheries. The natural history 

 of the salmon is the basis on which salmon legislation is 

 founded. We can say with absolute certainty that this fish Natural 



history of the 



ascends our rivers from the sea, almost to their source, to salmon, a 



preliminary to 



breed ; we can say positively which is the reproductive salmon 

 portion of the stock ; we know that if we do not allow the egls ' 

 spawning fish to ascend the streams we shall have no 

 young fry ; and that if we destroy the young fry or the 

 eggs we shall have no fish for breeding or for eating. On 

 these facts the principles of salmon legislation are founded, 

 for on these facts depends the possibility or otherwise of 

 increasing or diminishing, or even of exterminating, the 

 breed of salmon. 



Just such a combined observation of natural conditions 

 and of artificial influences is necessary in the case of the 

 sea-fisheries. If the State cannot do anything to increase 

 the supply of fish in the sea, it may do much in the 

 discovery of fresh means of increasing the supply of fish 

 which we draw from the sea. When, as the result of Influence of 

 scientific research, we are fully acquainted with the life- research on 

 history of the herring, or the cod, or the sole, and with the development 

 many natural phenomena which influence the habits of any offishenes - 

 of these fish, we shall be in quite as good a position to say 

 how, when, and where they may be most easily caught in 

 the best condition, and in the largest quantities, as to 

 interdict times and modes of fishing which are really 

 injurious. It is quite within the bounds of probability, not 

 only that all the modes of fishing now adopted, many of 

 which are denounced as fatal to the permanent prosperity 

 of the fisheries, may be proved to be absolutely without 

 effect on the stock of fish in the sea, but that many new 



P 2 



