of the Fishery Board for Scotland, 
417 
of immature fish along the coasts arrested the attention of the Commission 
of 1888, which called the serious consideration of the Government to the 
question. M. Borgers discusses the capture and destruction of immature 
fish by sailing and steam trawlers and by shrimp fishing, the former of 
which was first employed in Belgian waters in 1815. He expresses strong 
opinions as to the injuriousness of the usual method of shrimping, and 
recommends the introduction of the method used in France {vide, p. 209). 
It appears that in 1882, 1,172,000 kilogrammes of shrimps were despatched 
by rail alone from eight Belgian ports, besides those consumed locally and 
carried by vessels ; and it is calculated that this represented the destruc- 
tion of 3,515,000 kilogrammes of immature fish. The small fish are 
largely used to feed pigs and for manure. The regulations that might 
be adopted are discussed under three heads — (1) The prohibition of fishing 
in defined areas ; (2) the prohibition of fishing during the spawning 
period ; (3) the prohibition of the capture or the sale -of fish under a 
certain size. Under the first head are described certain old regulations of 
the Netherlands Government regarding the prohibition of the use of the 
trawl on the high seas during certain months of the year. M. Borgers 
discusses at length my paper on the distribution of immature sea-fish and 
their capture by various modes of fishing,"^ and also the results of the 
labours of Professor Marion at Marseilles and Dr Hoek in Holland. 
When dealing with the important question of the location of spawning- 
grounds, in relation to the possibility of regulations, sufficient account has 
perhaps not been taken of the fact that they lie almost always outside the 
territorial waters,! and therefore beyond the exclusive jurisdiction of the 
country whose shores are ex adverse. 
The measures recommended by M. Borgers are as follows : — 
1. The enactment of a law making it penal for foreigners to fish in 
the territorial waters of Belgium. 
2. An inquiry as to whether those fishing appliances at present in 
use, which are injurious to immature fish, cannot be replaced by 
others yielding the same results without causing the destruction. 
3. The prohibition of landing or exposing for sale immature fish. 
4. That the Belgian consuls in foreign fishery ports should supply 
detailed reports of any measures passed which concern maritime 
fisheries, in order that 'they may benefit in Belgium by the 
experience acquired in other countries. 
M. Borgers points to the importance of a knowledge of the special 
fishery regulations in other countries, and of the results of the hatching of 
sea-fish at Flodevig and Newfoundland. 
In April last (1891) the Association discussed the above conclusions of 
M. Borgers in regard to the diminution of fish in the territorial waters, J 
and adopted them. It was resolved to obtain specimens of the shrimp- 
trap used in France, and the Association would then be able to say 
whether they should be substituted for the instruments now used. It 
was also stated that the Belgian Government, in view of the depopulation 
of the territorial waters and the operations in fish-hatching in other 
countries, had charged the Belgian Commission of Pisciculture to investi- 
gate the question. 
And, further, that when the Government was engaged on the question 
of immature fish, the vessel now used for marine police should be fitted 
up to undertake * experiments like those made by the " Garland " on the 
' coasts of Scotland — experiments which have strongly interested the 
' English fisheries.' 
* Eighth Annual Report of the Fishery Board for Scotland, Part III. p. 157. 
t Vide Eighth Annual Report of the Fishery Board for Scotland, Part III. p. 258. 
X Bulletin Mensuel, No. 4, Avril 1891, pp. 137, 147. 
2 d 
