234 FISH CULTURE. 



These figures will serve to show the reader the mag- 

 nitude of the interests already involved, and it can- 

 not be doubted but, by judicious management, they 

 might be vastly increased. 



ITow, whether the management the fisheries meet 

 with be judicious or no, I leave the reader to judge. 

 In Scotland a Board exists for the protection of the 

 herring-fishery. Let us see what the fishmongers 

 of Scotland, yhose living is, to an extent, dependent 

 on the breath of this Board, have to say to it. 

 The following extract is taken from the speech of 

 the chairman at the Glasgow fish-merchants' annual 

 dinner : — 



" But, while I speak of herrings, I cannot allow 

 this opportunity to pass without condemning a Board 

 which has for its object the protection of the herrings. 

 The Fishery Board was instituted at the beginning 

 of this century, when all Europe was at war, and 

 when the difficulty of manning the navy was much 

 felt. A bounty of four shillings a barrel was paid 

 the fishermen for every barrel of herrings cured; 

 and in 1821 the board disbursed 72,000?. for that 

 object, which, with expenses, (12,000Z.), make 84,000?. 

 as a bounty, or rather, I should say, as a bribe, for 

 men to become sailors. Since 1830, the Government 

 bounty has been withdrawn, and the operations of the 



