98 BRITISH FISHERIES 



might centre. Finally, the influence of the Royal 

 Commission of 1863, which discouraged so strongly 

 all attempts at the regulation of fishing, was more 

 strongly felt in England than in Scotland, and no 

 doubt had considerable effect in retarding the 

 growth of a central authority. 



The Sea-Fisheries Act of 1868, which gave 

 effect to the recommendations of the Commission 

 of 1863, provided for the regulation of the sea- 

 fisheries only so far as the preservation of order 

 or the interests of the navigation of fishing boats 

 were concerned. It gave the Crown power to 

 make Orders in Council for carrying out the 

 matters referred to in the Act. These were : the 

 policing of the territorial waters in the interest 

 of the exclusive fishing rights of British subjects ; 

 the registration, lettering, numbering, and lighting 

 of fishing boats ; and generally all matters connected 

 with the actual conduct of fishermen at sea, but 

 apart from the actual regulation of the methods 

 of fishing. It provided for the constitution of 

 corporate bodies with rights of " several fishery," 

 that is, the exclusive privileges of fishing on limited 

 portions of the foreshore or sea-bed. It also 

 attempted to provide for the international regula- 

 tion of the deep-sea fisheries. Commissioned 

 officers of H.M. ships, British Consular officers, 

 and officers of Coastguard and Customs had powers 

 to carry out the provisions of Orders made under 

 the Act of 1 868. 



