^52 THE SEA FISHERIES 



^. ^°*^;^^ Conference of the leaders of the trawling mdustrv was 



p2ed "'xhat '£t"/'^ '""''^r' self-denying'ordSS Z 

 fZ .\ That ths Conference of the trawl-fishing industry of 

 the east coast, having realised the enormous loss which the trade 



Se^t^t "f ^''' ^^ ^'''' ^^™S^ *^« -h°l--le capture and 

 destruction of immature and inedible fish, resolves that the whole 

 of the delegates here assembled, for themselves individually and the 

 companies corporations, fleets and associations they represent 

 agree to abstam during the coming summer from fishing on the 

 grounds where the immature fish are generally caught in abundance. 

 Ihat the fishmg grounds or nurseries referred to in the foregoing 

 resolution shall be defined as follows : ' That part of the North Sea 

 the eastern boundary of which is the German and Danish coasts • 

 the western boundary, long. 7=30', the northern boundary, lat ^6°' 

 the southern boundary, lat. 53°5o'.' " j o > 



This resolution proposed to close an area off the German and 

 Danish coasts of considerably over 5000 sq. miles, 3600 sq. miles 

 bemg outside the 3-mile limit, an area approximately as extensive 

 as the Moray Firth, against the closure of which some years ago the 

 British steam trawler owners protested. In default of legislation this 

 ordinance naturally failed, and the grounds in question were never 

 effectually closed to trawling. In 1890 a further Conference was held 

 in London to which representatives of certain foreign Governments 

 were invited. At this Conference it was resolved that : " The 

 National Sea Fisheries Protection Association be requested to 

 formulate a set of questions with a view to obtaining scientific and 

 statistical information in relation to undersized fish, and forward 

 it to each delegate in order that he may submit it to his Govern- 

 ment for adoption." But nothing further seems to have been done. 



In 1892 the trawlers society, which had adopted the ostentatious 

 title quoted above, again protested against over trawling, and they 

 resolved : " That in the opinion of this Conference all trawling 

 should be illegal in the territorial waters, and that further restric- 

 tions be imposed for the purpose of protecting spawning beds and 

 breeding grounds." They also agreed to ask the Government to 

 enact a law to prohibit the sale of undersized flat-fish in British 

 markets. The size limits proposed were, plaice and soles, 10 in., 

 lemon soles, 11 in., and turbot and brill, 12 in. In the following 

 year (1893) the Government appointed a select committee of the 

 House of Commons to inquire into the condition of the sea fisheries. 

 Before this Committee the trawlers were again emphatic as to the 

 depletion of the North Sea fishing grounds, caused by unrestricted 

 fishing. The various banks in this region had been fished out 

 successively, and the steamers were beginning to make those 



