THE FISHERY BOARD FOR SCOTLAND 83 



tinued, the trade in Scottish herrings would be as 

 flourishing as ever. But the real spirit in which 

 they dealt with the question is indicated in the 

 following quotation from their report.^ " We 

 conceive," they said, " that such a violation of 

 a great principle of public policy is involved in 

 the very existence of the brand, with its con- 

 comitant system of regulation and inspection. It 

 is a direct violation of the greatest of all com- 

 mercial principles, and that which is now regarded 

 as the commercial policy of this country — the 

 principle of Free Trade, and the policy of 

 removing every description of restriction and 

 protection from commerce." Holding such views, 

 the Commissioners saw no necessity for the ex- 

 istence of the Fishery Board and its staff, and 

 they unhesitatingly recommended its abolition. 

 At this time the Board had other functions besides 

 those to which I have alluded. They adminis- 

 tered the Convention Act of 1842, which pro- 

 vided for regulation of fishing boats on the seas, 

 as well as several other enactments relating specially 

 to the herring fisheries ; they policed the territorial 

 waters in the interest of the exclusive fishing rights 

 of British subjects ; they administered the annual 

 vote of j^3ooo for the repair and construction 

 of fishing harbours ; they were collecting what 

 has proved to be a most valuable series of fishery 

 statistics ; and even then they were encouraging 



^ Report, Royal Commission 0/186$, p. 134 (octavo edition), 1866. 



