xii 



Second Annual Report of the 



SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATIONS. 



A. Summary of Observations made in Britain as to the Natural 

 History of the Herring previous to 1882. 



importance of At a very early period the fishery industry was recognised as of 

 Sdustry early nat i° na l importance, and as worthy of the fostering care of the 

 recognised. Legislature, and for a century, at least, the habits of the herring 



and other food fishes have attracted the attention of many eminent 



naturalists. 



Claims of In the twelfth century it appears that the right to fish for herrings 



Crown. wag ves t ec l i n the Crown, and for several centuries afterwards those 

 engaged in the industry in Scotland, though willing to hand over 

 their takes to Dutch and other foreign vessels, claimed for them- 

 selves the exclusive right of fishing. Notwithstanding this claim, 

 Number of the Dutch had 2000 herring ' busses' in 1667 fishing in the North 



Dutcl^Busses ^ Qff ^ g cottish coasfc> 



During the fifteenth century it was found necessary to limit the 

 Restricted sale sa l e of herring to foreigners, that the people at home might be 



of Herring m n • ° A * D 



15th century. Supplied. 



Royal Commis- In 1630 a Koyal Commission was appointed to consider and 

 Ftsherie? r iii isl1 re P or ^ now ^ ne British fisheries might be rendered more beneficial 

 1630. by the formation of a General Fishing Company. Immediately 



after the Union the fishing industry almost ceased to exist, owing 

 apparently to the enactment of salt duties ; and in 1727 an Act 

 Board of was passed by which the Board of Trustees for Manufactures 

 formecUn 1727. anc * Fisheries ■ was created for encouraging the fisheries in Scotland. 



' This Board, in addition to generally superintending the fisheries, 

 Bounties was empowered to pay bounties to herring ' busses ' at the rate of 

 offered. from 30s. to 40s. per ton, and to offer small premiums to the fisher- 

 men who first discovered herrings during each season at the 

 different parts of the coasts, and also, in course of time, to pay a 

 bounty of 2s. per barrel to boats not fitted out for the tonnage 

 £56,ooo paid bounty. During the five years 1804-1808 over £56,000 was 

 m nve years. ag k oun ties to the fishermen — on an average a little over 



£11,000 a year. 



Commissioners In 1808 ' An Act for the further Encouragement and better 

 WMte^Herring ' Regulation of the British White Herring Fishery,' was passed, and 

 Fishery Commissioners were appointed to carry it into effect. The Commis - 

 appointed. sioners had charge of the fisheries of the whole of the British 

 coasts, and at a later date of the Isle of Man ; and in addition to 

 granting bounties, they had a sum of £3000 placed at their disposal 

 by way of encouraging the fishermen to use larger boats, so that they 

 might proceed further to sea. 

 increase in Under the new Commissioners there was during the first four 

 take of Herring years of their existence an increase in the take of herring, and at 



the same time a saving of nearly £62,000 of public money. 

 Fishery The Commissioners at the outset stationed officers at the chief 



anointed fishiug centres, around both the Scottish and English coasts, and 

 appom . ^ ^ e appointed two officers to the port of London, from 

 which large consignments of herring were despatched to the 

 Continent, In addition to the fishery officers, the Admiralty 



