290 CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY OF THE HERRING-FISHERY. 



" 6^A, That the last measure of legislation, 14th and 15th 

 Victoria, chap. 26, section 6, extending to the whole 

 coasts of Scotland and England, has been enacted at the 

 instance of the Commissioners of British Fisheries, having 

 a large and well-trained staff of officers, watching closely 

 the interests of the most important and most prosperous 

 fishing community in the empire, and that it may be 

 considered an unqualified affirmation of a similar regula- 

 tion in the French Convention Act, but in more stringent 

 terms, and after nine years' experience of its effects." 



We find in the same document a strong attestation as 

 to the injury of such trawling, by the extensive fish- 

 monger, Mr Thomas Anderson, Glasgow, which we think 

 wortli reproducing here : — 



" Having been extensively engaged in the fish trade in 

 Scotland for the last fifteen years, I have observed, with 

 very much regret, the great injury done to the white 

 fishings by the use of trawl nets. Nearly about ten years 

 ago the trawl net was introduced into the Firth of Forth, 

 and in accordance with the increase of the use of it, the 

 gradual decrease in the take of white fish has been the 

 result. Also on the west coast of Scotland (particularly 

 the Ayrshire coast), it is a well-known fact, that ever 

 since the introduction of the trawl net, there has also 

 been a gradual decrease in the take of white fish ; and I 

 am fully convinced in my opinion, that the use of trawl 

 must either destroy the spawn of the fish or the young fry. 



" I may also mention, that from one station I had from 

 700 to 800 young turbot in one day lately, and scarcely a 

 marketable fish amongst the whole, the most of them not 

 weighing more than 1 to 1| lbs. These were some of 

 the produce of the trawl ; and my objection principally 



