INTRODUCTION xxi 



only one topic, and on only one side of that topic, and nothing 

 could be more undesirable than that the Board of Fisheries should 

 be heavily overloaded on one side or the other."^ 



It would be childish to treat this kind of argument seriously. The 

 mere fact that judges are only appointed from amongst the ranks 

 of " first -class experts," or that " Christian Science " is not recog- 

 nised as a legitimate qualification for the practice of medicine or 

 surgery disposes of it. 



Objection may well be taken to the introduction of politics into 

 fishery questions, but when fishery interests are used as pawns in 

 the party game it becomes necessary to record a protest. 



The efficiency of the Central Department is essential for a resus- 

 citation of the inshore fisheries, to say nothing of other vital needs 

 in fishery administration, such as the codification and simplification 

 of the salmon and fresh-water fishery laws or the proper application 

 of scientific fishery research. What a capable public department 

 can do when backed by intelligent support in the House of Commons 

 may be seen by reference to the history of the rise of the great 

 Scottish Herring Fisheries (Chapter V). Now, as then, it is not 

 a case of a spasmodic effort, but of a carefully thought-out plan to 

 be systematically carried on for a generation. 



To secure this a capable staff is essential. That the Central 

 Fisheries Department in England and Wales has been and still is 

 understaffed is notorious, that questionable methods of filling 

 vacancies have recently been adopted is perhaps not so weU known.* 



All those who have the interests of the sea fisheries of England 

 and Wales at heart will welcome the creation of a strong, efiicient 

 and independent central department. 



There remains the question of local fishery administration. This 

 is practically non-existent in Ireland and Scotland, though in the 

 latter country the Sea Fisheries Regulation Act, 1895, provides 

 for the formation of district fishery committees. Up to the present 

 no such committee has been established. 



In England and Wales local fishery administration is carried out 

 by Local Sea-Fishery Committees. The constitution and duties of 

 these bodies are dealt with in some detail below (Chapter VII). 

 It is unnecessary to recapitulate the arguments and conclusions 

 arrived at with respect to these district committees, except to 

 say that a strong case has been made out both for co-operation 

 between the local and central authorities, and a considerable 

 strengthening and extension of the powers of the former bodies. 



1 Hansard, 26th June, 1912, p. 378. 



» See the evidence given by Sir T. Elliott, then Permanent Secretary to the 

 Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, before the Royal Commission on the Civil 

 Service. 



