Billingsgate, extensively engaged in the Norwegian lobster trade. 

 " The supply," Mr. Fisher told us, " has fallen off during the last 

 " seven years. 10 or 12 years ago he used to have about 

 " 600,000 lobsters a year from Norway, from three districts only. 

 " Is now working six districts (double the amount of coast), and 

 " the six districts only produced last year from 400,000 to 

 " 500,000 lobsters/' The purport of Captain Harnden's evidence, 

 given to us at Hamble, is very similar, and leaves little room 

 for doubting that there has been a very serious failing off in lobsters 

 in Norway. The matter, in fact, has been before the Norwegian 

 Parliament for three years running. " During the late session of 

 " the Storthing," Mr. Jones writes, " a Koyal Proposition was laid 

 " before it," that it should "be unlawful at any time to possess, 

 " sell, buy, or receive lobsters under 8 inches in length, as well as 

 " lobsters in spawn. The rejection of this amendent was, how- 

 " ever, recommended by the Committee appointed to report upon 

 " it, on the ground that those best acquainted with the subject 

 " failed to recognise its necessity, and, further, that the enforce- 

 " ment of the provisions of the proposed amendment would be 

 " attended with much difficulty ; that from the statistical facts 

 " before the committee there was no evidence of a diminution in 

 " the supply of lobsters of late, and that consequently the circum- 

 " stances did not warrant the adoption of the extraordinary 

 " regulations proposed, which would be justifiable only when 

 " there was a prospect that without such restrictions the fishery 

 7 in question would materially suffer/' 



The rejection of this regulation has virtually left the Norwegian 

 law in the position in which it has remained since 1848. By the 

 law of 184& a close season for lobsters is instituted, commencing 

 on the 15th July and ending at the close of September. The 

 close season may be varied by the King's authority, but the whole 

 month of August must always be closed. It is, of course, no 

 portion of our duty in this report to pronounce an opinion on the 

 policy of this law, or on the recent rejection of the proposal for 

 its amendment ; but the English are so dependent on Norwegian 

 lobsters that it would be folly for us to recommend the institution 

 of any regulations which would be either inconsistent with the 

 Norwegian laws, or have the effect of destroying the Norwegian 

 trade. We concluded, therefore, that we could not do better 

 than state the conditions under which the Norwegian fishing for 

 lobsters has hitherto been conducted. 



It will be seen from the foregoing remarks that an 8-inch 

 gauge has already been proposed in Norway. Of the two 

 merchants engaged in the Norway trade, whom we had the 

 advantage of examining, Mr. Fisher, of Billingsgate, was of 

 opinion that an 8-inch gauge would interfere with the 

 Norwegian fishery, but that a 7j-inch gauge would be de- 

 sirable. Capt. Harnden, of Hamble, on the contrary, con- 

 cluded that an 8-inch gauge would ultimately be beneficial to it. 

 With Capt. Harnden's evidence before us, we think that Parlia- 



b 2 



