( 239 ) 



BELGIUM. 



(See Plan, p. 176.) 



THE most important fishery of Belgium is the maritime fishery, which is extensively 

 carried on along the shores of the North Sea and in Western Flanders, especially at Ostend. 

 Since 1830 the fishing industry has greatly developed. 



Thus the harbours of Ostend, Blankenberghe, Heyst, Panne, and Nieuport, which 

 numbered 175 boats in 1836, had 318 in 1880. Ostend alone, the most important fishing 

 port, possessed in 1836 82 fishing-boats, 185 in 1880, 206 in 1881, and 178 in 1882. 



Since 1830 the Government has exerted itself by every means to encourage and develop 

 the fishing industry upon the Belgian coasts. Those engaged in it enjoyed an exemption from 

 an entire series of dues, and government grants in aid of the fishery were allowed annually 

 until the year 1866. These grants in no way assisted the development of the fisheries ; in 

 fact their importance diminished year by year. In 1864 those interested in maritime fishing 

 showed their anxiety for its future. The Government thereupon appointed a commission 

 (20th April, 1865) for the purpose of inquiring into the condition of this fishery, and to take 

 proper measures for its preservation. The report of the commission presented to the Chamber 

 of Representatives on the 17th May, 1866, recommended the entire abolition of the grants to 

 the various fisheries ; it applied for the foundation of a school for seamen on board a vessel 

 that should exercise at sea the supervision of the fishery : and it also recommended the free 

 entry of fish from all nationalities. Besides this the commission considered that for the 

 re-establishment of its fisheries the country must rely upon private enterprise, a good 

 organization of the fishery fleet, and a fair rate of wages for the fishermen. The Government 

 has endeavoured to carry out the recommendations of the commission. 



The grants were definitely suppressed in 1867. The Government chartered at the same 

 time a large vessel for the supervision of the fishery. They instituted likewise a school for 

 seamen destined for the crew of the fleet. Each year, this ship, at the commencement of 

 June, cruises for four months in the North Sea in the midst of our fishing-boats.. Its mission 

 is to prevent the fishermen from neglecting their duty by smuggling upon the coast of 

 England, to give them help and advice, and to furnish them with medical aid in cases 

 of accident, &c. 



Notwithstanding the foundation of the school for seamen, which numbers at present sixty 

 young men, on account of the increase of the number of fishermen's boats, complaints are made 

 of the difficulty of procuring the requisite crews. This arises from the fact that most of 

 the lads trained on the guardship enter the mercantile marine, the mail service, or work in 

 light ships, &c., as soon as the guardship, on its return from the summer cruise, winters in the 

 port of Ostend. The school for seamen trains therefore good sailors but few fishermen hence 

 the scarcity. To remedy this state of affairs, it is proposed that the Government should 

 cause a large cutter to be constructed, manned with seamen from the guard snip, who, in 

 winter, would devote themselves to net fishing. These young men would thus learn net-fishing 

 as in summer they learnt fishing with hooks, They would then be more surely retained for 

 the principal industry of our coasts. The cutter in question would in addition be provided 

 with all practical improvements, such as a steam winch for raising the net. It could, besides 

 visit the principal ports and fish depots of England for general information. 



At the same time that the Government abolished the premiums and established the training- 

 ship for seamen, it suppressed all restrictive regulation of fishing, such as the law respecting 

 the size of the mesh of the nets according to the time of year, to prevent the destruction of fry. 



Those competent to judge expressed an opinion that these measures, besides being 

 vexatious to fishermen, did not benefit the fishing industry, and that, no matter what might 

 be the mode of fishing employed, there was no reason to fear a scarcity of fish in the North 

 Sea. The result, both in this country and in Holland, since the free system was introduced, 

 proves that that opinion was well founded. 



In 1870 a law abolished the inland duties established on salt, and sea water; article. 2 

 declares the suppression of the dues on all fish importations. 



