244 BRITISH FISHERIES 



Now, it might be expected that a question of 

 this nature is so important, that no pains would be 

 spared to acquire such information as would answer 

 it in such a manner as to leave no reasonable excuse 

 for doubt. But owing to the lack of investigation 

 on a sufficiently large scale, and, above all, to want 

 of accurate and copious fishery statistics, there is 

 still some doubt as to whether the fisheries of the 

 British Islands are deteriorating or otherwise, and 

 opinions are expressed on both sides. Generally 

 speaking, there is a consensus of opinion in this 

 country that the commercial development of the 

 sea-fisheries has reached such a point as to justify 

 legislative restrictions on the methods of the in- 

 dustry. This was not always the view that was 

 held in England and Scotland. Forty years ago 

 very optimistic opinions were expressed, and it 

 was owing largely to the influence of Huxley^ 

 that these opinions were widely held, and pro- 

 duced a reaction against restrictive fishery legisla- 

 tion which resulted in the freeing of the industry 

 from all laws except such as were absolutely 

 necessary in the interest of the maintenance of 

 order among fishermen at sea. Then, when the 

 great modern development of steam trawling took 

 place,^ it became apparent that " man was tread- 

 ing too closely upon the supply," and legislative 



1 " Inaugural Address," Fisheries Literature, International Fisheries 

 Exhibition, London, 1883. 



2 Between 1885 and 1893. 



