256 BRITISH FISHERIES 



falling off in the yield of the British sea-fisheries 

 in respect of the less migratory flat fishes ; and the 

 same can be said of the evidence quite unsupported 

 by figures of any kind, and consisting only of the 

 recollections and impressions of persons who had 

 been interested in the sea-fisheries for a consider- 

 able time. All this evidence (I am speaking now 

 of that submitted before the two most recent 

 fishery inquiries — the Select Committees of 1893 

 and 1900) pointed to the same conclusion, that 

 there had been a distinct degree of depletion of the 

 fishing grounds. " All persons interested in the 

 fisheries, whether trawlers or linesmen, whether 

 smack-owners or fishermen, whether scientific 

 experts or statisticians," agreed that " a consider- 

 able diminution has occurred amongst the more 

 valuable classes of flat fish, especially among soles 

 and plaice, and this diminution must be attributed 

 to over-fishing by trawlers in certain localities." ^ 



Now, taking the information given by statistics, 

 a study of the various official reports shows that the 

 great extent of the change which converted the fish- 

 ing fleet of the time of Huxley and the 1863 Com- 

 mission into that of to-day, took place in the interval 

 between 1893 and 1900. Several changes of great 

 significance had taken place, and a detailed study of 

 these is of much importance for a correct apprecia- 

 tion of the present state of the fishing industry. 



I. The number of steam vessels employed in 



1 Report, Select Committee, 1893, P- i^- 



