ABOUT A CLOSE-TIME. I'/S 



man for its capture ! In fact, that is the period when herrings 

 are at a premium; they must be "fuE fish," or they cannot 

 obtain the official brand; in other words, shottm herrings — i.e. 

 fish that have spawned — are not of much more than half the 

 value of the others. When it is taken into account that each 

 pair of full fish (male and female) are killed just as they are 

 about to give us the chance of obtaining an increase of the stock 

 to the extent say of thirty thousand, the ultimate eflfect must 

 be to disturb and cripple the producing powers of the shoal to 

 such a degree that it wiU. break up and find a new breeding- 

 ground, safe for a time perhaps from the spoliation of the greedy 

 fishermen. The Lochfyne Commissioners gave as a reason for 

 their non-recommendation of a close-time the fact, that were there 

 to be a cessation from labour, the enemies of the herring would 

 so increase that the jubilee given would be nugatory. But 

 surely there is a great want of logic in this argument ! How 

 is it that a close-time operates so favourably in the case of the 

 salmon — not only a seasonal close-time, but a weekly one as 

 well ? Would not the herring, with its almost miraculous 

 breeding-power, increase in the same ratio, or even ia a greater 

 ratio than its enemies, especially, if, as the Commissioners tell 

 us, and we believe, it is engaged in multiplying its- kind during 

 ten months of the year 1 Are not the enemies of the herring at 

 work during the fishing season as well as at other periods I I 

 could imderstand the logic of denying a close-time on the ground 

 that, as the herring never ceases breeding, it is impossible to 

 fix a correct period. But, according to the deliverance of the 

 Commissioners, a close-time is possible. I have ever been of 

 opinion, notwithstanding the practical difficulties that would 

 have to be encountered in carrying it out, that the want of a 

 close-time, especially for the larger kinds of sea-fish, is one of 

 the causes which are so obviously affecting the supplies. It is 

 certain also, from chemical and sanitary investigation, that aU. 

 fish are unwholesome at the period of spawning ; the salmon at 

 that time of its life is looked upon as being little better than 

 carrion. But, without dweUing on this phase of the question, 

 or considering the effect of unwholesome fish 'on the public 

 health, I must point out most strongly that the want of a well- 

 defined close-time is one of the greatest and severest of our fish- 

 destroying agencies. We give our grouse a breathing space ; 

 nay, we sometimes afford to that bird a whole jubilee year ; we 

 do not shoot our hares during certain months of the year, nor 



