76 JOURNAL OF MARINE ZOOLOGY AND MICROSCOPY. 



and efficient regulation of fisheries now existing, and those strictly 

 scientific remedies where artificial means are taken for the re-stocking of 

 extinct or moribund fisheries by means of hatchery and planting. 



Protective laws are no creation of to-day ; to go no further back than 

 the time of the Second Charles, we find Parliament and local authorities 

 passing measures for the regulation and protection of fisheries. Thus 

 we have among other measures, " an Act for the regulation of the 

 sardine fishery in the counties of Devon and Cornwall," while, in 1663, 

 we find that the long-headed folk of Edinburgh, alarmed for the welfare 

 of their oyster-beds, drew up detailed regulations to prevent abuses, and 

 to ensure if possible a continuance of prosperity. 



The difficulties in the way of rapid transit from the coast to the great 

 inland centres of population barred the way to any extensive expansion 

 of fishing industries until the advent of the railway system. From that, 

 period onward the trade has gro"wn by leaps and bounds, and, as was to 

 be expected, Fishery Commissions, Regulations and Laws, appeared 

 with ever-increasing frequency. A host of regulations as to the form of 

 nets, the size of meshes, the minimum size of immature fish, close times 

 and the like have thus been promulgated, amended, abrogated, renewed 

 and so on from time to time ; but until twelve yeai's ago, when the 

 Board of British White Herring Fishery was reconstituted with increased 

 powers as the "Fishery Board for Scotland," there was little or no 

 attempt at any comprehensive and continuous series of scientifically 

 carried out investigations and experiments to serve as secure bases for 

 the enactment of remedial measures. With the advent of this Scottish 

 Board we had for the first time in Great Britain the provision of adequate 

 and sustained means for the enforcement o£ such regulations as are 

 desirable, while from the constitution and powers of the Board, sufficient 

 elasticity is present to permit of local needs receiving due attention. 



Immediately following this epoch-making event, another very great 

 and real impetus was given to the organization of our fisheries on true 

 scientific lines through the wonderful interest aroused in the welfare of 

 this industry by the great International Fisheries Exhibition held in 

 London in 1883, the way for which had been opened by the pioneer 

 Exhibitions of Norwich and Edinburgh that had worthily preceded it. 

 Largely from the attention thus focussed upon fisheries, a healthy public 

 interest was aroused, and the natural results followed, when, as one item 

 in local government, powers were granted some eight years ago to county 

 councils in England and Wales to form local fishery committees for the 

 protection and improvement of the fisheries along their littoral, and to 

 formulate by-laws calculated to this end. Such powers were gradually 

 availed of, and with varying energy the fight has been begun all along 

 the English coast line. Controlled by special local needs, and necessarily 

 tentative as much of the work has been, great good has undoubtedly 



