266 Germany. 



German " fischereiverein," and a daily increasing number of private fish-breeders of experience, 

 vie with each other in performing their task. The beginning of this movement dates from the 

 Prussian Fishery Laws of 1874. Although difficulties of no ordinary kind stood in the way of 

 legislation on this subject, yet the legislator, backed by the unanimous verdict of all parties 

 entitled to express an opinion as experts, has attained his object. A diversity of views exists 

 as to the provisions of the provincial fishery laws passed on the basis of the general law above 

 cited. A special subject for criticism has been the principle newly introduced by these subse- 

 quent laws of an absolute close time, i.e. an annually recurring period during which not only are 

 restrictions imposed on the capture and sale of specific classes of fish, but during which all 

 fishing operations are prohibited in certain waters, or parts of the same. In whose favour 

 the balance of opinion will at length turn ; whether the new principle will prevail, or 

 whether the old system of enforcing a close time for certain species will be resorted to, cannot 

 at the present time be predicted ; but it is certain that the ultimate decision will guide the 

 course of legislation in the other German confederate states. The desire of a uniform settle- 

 ment of fishery questions, in conformity with generally accepted views, is a strong one 

 throughout the empire, and is shared by the different governments. Statistics have not been 

 able to keep pace with the rapid progress that fishing has made in late years. Many of the 

 statistical data collected in former years have now become antiquated, and are no longer in 

 accordance with the actual state of things. To cite these data without commentary, for which 

 there is no room in this paper, would obscure a clear survey of the subject. This applies 

 even to deep-sea fishing, which is naturally carried on under more stable conditions. Suffice 

 it therefore to state that the German fisherman is again becoming accustomed to look beyond 

 the narrow field of operations afforded by the coast, and to push his ventures farther into the 

 open sea. His endeavours to show greater energy than hitherto are actively furthered by the 

 State, especially in the case of Prussia ; vessels better suited for the purpose are built ; fishery 

 associations are encouraged ; the network of railways is being extended for facilitating a rapid 

 supply to the interior of the country ; tariffs have been reduced, new contrivances for trans- 

 porting fish invented, harbours of refuge constructed for the fishermen ; everything in short 

 has been done to enable them to carry on their business steadily and without interruption. A 

 satisfactory settlement of the question of the Berlin Market Halls, which may be looked for 

 now at an early date, will act as a powerful lever in the encouragement of deep-sea fishing. 

 It is, however, true that much is still to be desired as far as the consumption offish is concerned. 

 The widely entertained prejudice against the consumption of fish not brought alive to the 

 market is a great obstacle to a reduction in price, and one which mainly prevents a larger 

 consumption by the lower classes. The supply of sea fish and fresh-water fish, uncooked or 

 prepared for consumption, remains in the country, and is insufficient to meet the demand. 

 Only in those Prussian provinces which border on Kussian Poland is a brisk export trade across 

 the frontier carried on. It is right, however, to state that the export, principally from 

 Berlin, of crayfish to France and Belgium has assumed extraordinary dimensions. The number 

 of crayfish annually exported from that city is estimated as being at least thirty millions. 

 Among the means of improving inland fishery, artificial fish-breeding has acquired a foremost 

 place. Originally a German invention of the eighteenth century, it has been improved upon 

 by other nations, and in its new shape has now become firmly established in all parts of 

 Germany. The German " Fischereiverein" has made this system a basis for all its exertions, 

 and consistently abides by the principle which it has laid down in the two following sentences 

 " An jeder Miihle muss wenigstens ein Kalifornischer Trog arbeiten ; " * and ; " Ueberall in das 

 rechte Wasser der rechte Fisch."f Consequently an animated circulation of different species 

 of fish is carried on throughout all parts ot the country ; the perch-pike and maraena are 

 translated to the west and south ; the eel and salmon are to try to acclimatise themselves in 

 the Danube ; the Alpine lakes enrich those in the eastern low-lands with trout and coregonus 

 of the best breed. The indigenous species are being augmented by imports from abroad, 

 especially by various American salmonoids. At the same time natural breeding retains its 

 place. Experiments with multitudes of naturally-bred young cyprinoides are more and more 



* " A Californian hatching-box must work at every mill-dam.' 

 f "Everywhere the proper fish into the proper water." 



