204 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



The Commissioners reported (1878) to the same effect in regard 

 to the abundance of fishes, and the absence of wasteful de- 

 struction, and they made various suggestions concerning injuries 

 done by trawlers to lines and nets. Steam-trawling had then 

 begun. 



The occurrence of Fisheries Exhibitions in France, Germany, 

 and Holland, as well as that at Norwich, stimulated the interest 

 of the public in the Department, and led to a notable exhibition 

 in Edinburgh in 1882, and next year to the still larger exhibition 

 in London, from which emanated volumes of valuable addresses 

 and papers. 



The rapid extension of steam-trawling and its spread into 

 Scottish waters gave the Government little respite, for in 1883 

 the pressure brought to bear was so great that a Royal Commis- 

 sion (Lord Dalhousie's) — comprehending, besides the Chairman, 

 Mr. Marjoribanks (now Lord Tweedmouth), Prof. Huxley, Mr. 

 Caine, and the late Sir Thomas Brady — was appointed to inquire 

 into the complaints of the injuries done to the line and drift-net 

 fishermen, and to ascertain what legislative remedy can be 

 adopted without interfering with the cheap and plentiful supply 

 of fish. This Commission introduced scientific investigations 

 into the inquiry for the first time, and, mainly through the 

 influence of Lord Dalhousie, a small marine laboratory was 

 established at St. Andrews at the beginning of 1884, and was 

 useful in preparing the scientific Report. Much evidence was 

 laid before the Commissioners strongly condemnatory of trawl- 

 ing — as destructive to the spawn of fishes, the grounds they 

 frequented, to the fishes themselves and their young, and to the 

 lines and nets of the fishermen. 



The Commissioners, while noting (from the evidence) a falling 

 off of flat-fishes in territorial waters from the Moray Firth to 

 Grimsby, and a diminution of Haddocks in certain places, found 

 no decrease in the total catch of fishes in the North Sea, except 

 in the case of Soles. Further, that the beam-trawl is not de- 

 structive to the spawn of the Cod and the Haddock, or other edible 

 fishes, nor does it cause wasteful or unnecessary destruction to 

 the immature food-fishes. It has not been proved, moreover, 

 that it is the sole cause of the diminution of fish in territorial 

 waters. 



