THE BRITISH FISH TRADE. 17 



when large fleets of trawlers and drift vessels, or " drivers " 

 (as they are called), are fishing on the same ground at the 

 same time, as they do for instance in Mount's Bay, it is 

 no easy matter for a fisherman to carry out the law ; and the 

 difficulty is increased from the fact that drift-fishing is 

 carried on solely at night* 



Provision, indeed, has been made against these collisions, 

 the different classes of boats being required to carry dis- 

 tinctive lights. A trawler is required to carry one white 

 light on its mast-head. A driver is directed by the Sea, 

 Fisheries Act, 1867, to carry two lights, one above another, 

 three feet apart. So far the directions are plain enough. 



* In the text allusion has only been made to accidental collision. A 

 good ^eal of angry feeling has, however, lately been provoked by the 

 discovery that some foreign trawlers were in the habit of carrying a 

 sharp instrument which they dragged behind them for the purpose of 

 cutting through the warp or rope of any drift-net which fouled the 

 trawl. The instrument, which received the expressive nickname of a 

 devil, caused great mischief to the nets of the drift fishermen. Their 

 loud remonstrances induced the Government to propose the appoint- 

 ment of an International Convention to enquire into the matter. The 

 Convention, which was attended by representatives from Great Britain, 

 Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, and the Netherlands, met at 

 the Hague in 1882. It agreed on the following articles : 



" The use of any instrument or engine which serves only to cut or 

 destroy nets is forbidden. The presence of any such engine on board 

 a boat is also forbidden. The high contracting parties engage to take 

 the necessary measures for preventing the embarkation of such 

 engines on board fishing-boats. 



. " The high contracting parties engage to propose to their respective 

 legislatures, the necessary measures for ensuring the execution of the 

 present convention, and particularly for the punishment by either fine 

 or imprisonment, or by both, of persons who may contravene the 

 provisions." 



The convention still awaits ratification ; but it is expected that it 

 will before long be ratified and brought into effective operation by 

 laws being passed in the countries which were parties to it. 



C 



