176 THE SEA FISHERIES 



Committee was expressed in language likely to arouse the most 

 determined opposition from the authorities interested in main- 

 taining the status quo ; more especially since it should have been 

 possible to frame reasonable recommendations for the improve- 

 ment of the administration of the inshore fisheries. As it is, nothing 

 short of a Napoleonic effort on the part of the Central Department 

 is likely to give effect to the recommendations of Mr. Runciman's 

 Committee ; whether the Board possess a Napoleon remains to be 

 seen. A detailed consideration of the report of this Committee, 

 which was published early in 1914, is essential to a correct appre- 

 ciation of the present position. 



The Departmental Committee on Inshore Fisheries held their 

 first meeting in February, 1913. Their report was issued in May, 

 1914. The condition of the industry all round the coast was in- 

 vestigated, with the exception of the counties of Devon and Corn- 

 wall, which had been previously dealt with by a special Committee.^ 

 The subject was approached from the point of view of the inshore 

 fisherman, who is defined as one " who goes out either for a day 

 or a night's fishing ; he usually fishes from his own boat, which is 

 generally one of limited dimensions and without steam power, 

 fishing within sight of land, although not necessarily of home ; and 

 he also carries on those fisheries which do not in all cases require 

 the use of a boat, such as fishing with stake nets and the gathering 

 of shellfish by hand." The Committee point out that many fisher- 

 men who clearly come within the description of inshore fishermen 

 are sometimes engaged in fishing beyond the territorial limits. 



The Committee met on seventeen occasions to take formal 

 evidence. Three sub-committees were also formed for the purpose 

 of local inspection of the three coasts. In one respect there wiU 

 be general agreement with the findings of the Committee, and that 

 is with regard to the claims of the inshore fisherman. " We consider 

 that the continued existence of a hardy race of inshore fishermen 

 is of importance to a great maritime nation and a great naval power. 

 We find that the Royal National Lifeboat Institution looks mainly, 

 if not entirely, to the inshore fishermen to man its boats." 



The working of the rocket life-saving apparatus to a great extent 

 depends on the services of the inshore fisherman. In quite a large 

 number of ports and stations a considerable proportion of the 

 Royal Naval Reserve recruits are town from the '^-.^ks; these 

 men The inshore fisherman has also an mherent aptitude or the 

 sTand ships. " In these circumstances we have no hesitation in 



1 Report of the Committee appointed to <^o«^if L^^PP^j^fi""^^^^^^^ 

 ^^^^^^^^^=^^^ ^rs td^ot^r ptoses. 

 Cd. 7200, 1913- 



