of the Fishery J hard for Scotland. 
369 
sending a copy of the Official Journal for 1889, &c, and to Mr W. 
Anderson Smith, Le&aig, for the following epitome which he has 
kindly made. 
It appears that hitherto very little special scientific work has been 
accomplished in connection with Spanish fisheries. Judging from the 
proposed fishery act presented to the Spanish Senate by the Minister of 
Marine, opinion in Spain is at present against the establishment of close 
times and restrictions for purely marine fishes. Close times, however, are 
established for sedentary crustaceans and shell-fish, as well as for ana- 
dromous fishes. In the new fishery act the question of prohibition of 
the capture or sale of certain marine fish under a fixed size is discussed. 
It appears there has been much division of opinion on this subject ; the 
opponents of change urging that the destruction of young food-fishes by 
fishermen is very much less than by predaceous fishes which prey upon 
them. In the preamble to the proposed new act the Minister of Marine 
expresses himself thus : — 1 If these serious questions are considered from 
\ a scientific or technical point of view, we must acknowledge that at 
1 present the facts upon which a fishery act could be based on these prin- 
' ciples, are insufficient in Spain, as well as in other countries. Until we 
' know in a more thorough manner the life and habits of marine creatures, 
' and the physical geography of the coasts, a fishery act must be based 
' mainly on what appears to suit the development of the industries to 
1 which it refers. It is to be hoped that in the future sufficient data will 
' be obtained regarding the habits of marine species and of the character 
£ and conditions of the grounds, so that by the results of scientific investi- 
J gations we may be able to control them, and to extend such liberty of 
\ fishing as may be suited to the industry of maritime fisheries.' 
The Revista de Pesca Maritima is the only Spanish publication con- 
nected with the fisheries. It is the recognised government medium for 
the publication of laws, decrees, orders, or regulations concerning the 
marine fisheries, and more especially all concessions. It has also been 
republishing Regnart's famous work published in 1796 entitled Collection 
of Spanish Marine Products, formed by order of His Majesty by D. 
Antonio Sanez Regnart. A proposed codification of the fishery laws in 
58 articles, submitted to the Cortes, is printed for consideration. These 
are general, leaving to the various localities to settle minor matters. 
A memoir is printed as presented to the Minister of Marine accompanying 
the zoological collection prepared and forwarded from Naples by the 
Spanish Scientific delegates D. Joaquin de Borja, Lieut. Nav. ; and D. 
Dionisius Shelly, Naval Ensign. It describes the organisation of the 
Naples establishment ; the instruction given to officials • the mode used ; 
preparation of the marine species that are about to be studied; and 
the reagents used; and gives a catalogue of the numerous zoological 
preparations made ; concluding with a list of fishes studied, and their 
spawning seasons. In an article on the salting and preserving establish- 
ments in the province of Coruna, we learn that these are factories for 
salted fish. In the other provinces most of the factories preserve, but in 
Galicia they mainly salt and press for export. Each factory employs say, 
100 men and 20 women during 4 months of the year, at 5 reals (Is. 
OJd.) a day for first hands, and 4 reals for second hands (lOd.) Altogether 
they employ in this work 12,300 men, and 2460 women during 4 months, 
leaving in the country as wages more than 2 million pesetas (about 
<£84,000). The manufacture of preserved fish also tends to increase here ; 
a new manufactory having been established near Nova in 1887. This 
factory uses only the finest oils, when it has to compete against the pro- 
ducts of Italy, Portugal, and France. The exportation of preserved Ish 
was, during 1887, 201,605 kilos, value 328,714 pesetas (lOd. each). 
2 a 
