88 JOURNAL OF MARINE ZOOLOGY AND MICROSCOPY. 



go and catcli as much fish where and how they liked, and to take no 

 heed for the morrow. 



Since 1868, statistics of fishery results have been kept with considerable 

 exactitude, and the conclusion derived from a careful examination of the 

 yearly differences in yield is that over the whole extent of the British 

 sea-fishery area, the old fishing grounds are steadily becoming depopu- 

 lated, and that to keep up the supply our fishers have to go further 

 afield and the endeavour is constant to discover new grounds to replace 

 the exhausted ones lying nearer home. 



Hence, from the steady accumulation of such observations, the 

 irresistible conclusion has been driven home to those watching the 

 development of affairs, that the Act of 1868 has proved harmful. As a 

 consequence of this feeling, Parliament, a few years ago, gave permission 

 to the Maritime County Councils to form Fisheries Committees, part of 

 whose duties it should be to pass bye-laws (under sanction of the Board 

 of Trade) reguiating and restricting, where necessary, their local in-shore 

 fisheries. 



Deep-sea fishing still awaits legislative control, international agree- 

 ment being difficult to effect. 



5. The next Act concerning our fisheries in Jersey, is "The Fisheries 

 (Oyster, Crab and Lobster) Act, 1877." The provisions which concern 

 us are that by it are forbidden the capture, exposure, sale or purchase of 

 soft crabs, i.e., those that have recently cast their shells ; of any edible 

 crab less than 4J in. across the broadest part of the back ; lastly of 

 '•'berried " crabs. This law has in no wise been enforced in Jersey, and 

 indeed the provision it makes as to the minimum size for crabs is absurd, 

 for this takes no account of our local custom to consider several crabs 

 edible which are not so considered in England. For example the 

 common shore crab ( Carcinus man as J and the "Lady-crab" fPortunus 

 puher) are both eaten here, and even when adult these species rarely 

 reach the size limit given in the English Act. 



6. Following this is a most excellent and well-considered measure, 

 passed by the States in 1882 to facilitate the establishment of oyster 

 parks along the littoral of our Island. It is under the <egis of this law 

 that the one bright spot in our Island fishery- work has arisen, in the 

 form of the formation of the Jersey Oyster Culture Co., Ltd., whose parks 

 at Green Island are models of what such establishments should be. 



7. The last measure of all, is one registered here in 1884, but as this 

 relates largely to the provisions of the International Convention 

 concerning the Fisheries in the North Sea and has no importance locally, 

 we need not detail its enactments. 



Summarizing the effects of the fore- going facts, we find that the 

 Oyster Act of 1841 was insufficient to protect the industry in question, 

 the result being the destruction of the beds ; the useful Act of 1 843 has 



