268 THE RELATIONS OF THE STATE WITH 



districts was the Thames estuary west of a line drawn from 

 Orford Ness to the North Foreland. The next provision 

 is of great importance. By it the Board of Trade, on 

 application, and after inquiry and notice, may prohibit the 

 taking of oysters during any period less than a year. The 

 Board of Trade may, in addition, renew its prohibition 

 from year to year, vary its orders, and enforce them by 

 penalties ranging to 20. This part of the enactment 

 does not, however, apply to grants of oyster rights under 

 the Third Part of the Act of 1868. The application for a 

 prohibition on oyster-taking may be made by any persons 

 " appearing to the Board of Trade to represent the fisher- 

 men of any locality, or others locally interested in the 

 fisheries." Justices, town councils, urban or rural, sanitary 

 authorities, bodies corporate, or persons regulating a 

 harbour, are examples of the possible applicants. By the 

 seventh section, the expense of obtaining the confirmation 

 of an order under the Third Part of the Sea Fisheries Act 

 of 1868 is reduced. If for an area of less than 5 acres the 

 grant of a several oyster-fishery does not exceed twenty- 

 one years for its duration, and if no objections are raised 

 in the locality against the order, the latter may be con- 

 firmed by Her Majesty in Council without the expense of 

 a special Act. By the Second Part of the Act now under 

 consideration, no person may either have in his possession, 

 or sell, or buy, any crab of less diameter than 4^ inches, 

 nor those crabs which carry spawn, commonly called 

 " berried crabs," nor those which have recently cast their 

 shells, and which are known as " white " or " soft " crabs. 

 The penalty for the first offence is 2, and for subsequent 

 offences 10, together with the forfeiture of the crabs. 

 Exception is, however, made in the case of crabs intended 

 for bait " for fishing only." Under the same penalties no 



