32 BRITISH FISHERIES 



had to be made to the Board by the representatives 

 of the fishermen, or by certain local authorities. 

 Then, after a local inquiry by an inspector of the 

 Board, an Order might be issued, but this Order 

 required confirmation by an Act of Parliament 

 before it could be enforced. The expenses of 

 these proceedings had to be borne by the appli- 

 cants, and the fishermen could not, as a rule, afford 

 this ; while the local authorities were unwilling 

 to incur expense where a small class only of the 

 population were concerned, and in a matter 

 which lay somewhat apart from their ordinary 

 affairs. The difficulty and expense of obtaining 

 powers under the Act were, therefore, so great 

 that it became practically a dead letter.^ 



The Commission of 1878 had therefore little 

 effect on subsequent legislation ; but the other 

 inquiry which I have to mention here was very 

 important, because of the influence it had on 

 fisheries administration and scientific research. Its 

 inception seems to have been due to the usual 

 causes — renewed agitation against trawling on the 

 part of the line and drift-net fishermen, accom- 

 panied by positive statements of the declining 

 yield of the fishing grounds since trawling became 

 extensively practised. The whole question was 

 now about to receive settlement, and the inquiry 

 and report of the Trawling Commission marks 

 the transition from the policy of laissez-faire^ 

 1 It was repealed by 51 and 52 Vict. c. 54 (1888). 



