2245
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS.
approaching maturity.
Having studied as far as possible the
life—histories of the food-shes, he has likewise observed their
rate of growth, their habits and so-called migrations, their food,
and, last, but not least, their environment in the ocean.
It has still to be shown that such knowledge, which is
nothing if not accurate, is a disqualication in dealing with the
complex problems of the sheries.
Yet how few ofcials
public bodies, how few individuals fully realise the prolonged
study necessary to grasp
all the complex problems of the
sheries.
It is, however, not always easy for the public to
distinguish between the real and the counterfeit in such a case,
and class—interests eagerly seize on the remarks of those who
have little more than the rudiments of the subject.
Trawling, the subject of these experiments, appears
to have
begun systematically at Brixham and Plymouth last century,
yet, after more than a hundred years’ work, though the area for
trawling was by no means extensive, no proof of exhaustion is
forthcoming.
Long previous to this date, however, viz. in 1376
—1377, in the reign of Edward III., a petition was presented
_
to Parliament praying that a new shing instrument like a
large oyster—drag and called a IVondrychroum be interdicted.
It was stated that “It destroyed the spawn and brood of sh,
and the spat of oysters and mussels and other sh, by which
large sh are accustomed to live and be supported.
So many
small shes were taken by it that the shermen did not know
what to do with them but feed and fatten their pigs with them
to the great damage of the whole commons of the kingdom‘.”
Fishes were probably as cheap at this period as formerly. Thus
at Billingsgate in the time of Edward I. turbot were sold at 603.
each, eels at 8d. per cwt., pickled herrings at 1d. the score, and
oysters
at Qd. per gallon.
Again, in 1ä91, during the reign of Henry VII., many of
the shermen of the Norfolk and Suffolk coasts were convicted
and ned £10 (= about £IOO to—day) for shing with small—
meshed nets and unlawful engines for taking small shes.
80
in the reign of James I., and subsequently, shenen near Bye
were
“taken” for shing with unlawful nets,—pr0ving that
_
1
Mr Jex, Fisheries ConferenCe, Part I. p. 818.
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS.
approaching maturity.
Having studied as far as possible the
life—histories of the food-shes, he has likewise observed their
rate of growth, their habits and so-called migrations, their food,
and, last, but not least, their environment in the ocean.
It has still to be shown that such knowledge, which is
nothing if not accurate, is a disqualication in dealing with the
complex problems of the sheries.
Yet how few ofcials
public bodies, how few individuals fully realise the prolonged
study necessary to grasp
all the complex problems of the
sheries.
It is, however, not always easy for the public to
distinguish between the real and the counterfeit in such a case,
and class—interests eagerly seize on the remarks of those who
have little more than the rudiments of the subject.
Trawling, the subject of these experiments, appears
to have
begun systematically at Brixham and Plymouth last century,
yet, after more than a hundred years’ work, though the area for
trawling was by no means extensive, no proof of exhaustion is
forthcoming.
Long previous to this date, however, viz. in 1376
—1377, in the reign of Edward III., a petition was presented
_
to Parliament praying that a new shing instrument like a
large oyster—drag and called a IVondrychroum be interdicted.
It was stated that “It destroyed the spawn and brood of sh,
and the spat of oysters and mussels and other sh, by which
large sh are accustomed to live and be supported.
So many
small shes were taken by it that the shermen did not know
what to do with them but feed and fatten their pigs with them
to the great damage of the whole commons of the kingdom‘.”
Fishes were probably as cheap at this period as formerly. Thus
at Billingsgate in the time of Edward I. turbot were sold at 603.
each, eels at 8d. per cwt., pickled herrings at 1d. the score, and
oysters
at Qd. per gallon.
Again, in 1ä91, during the reign of Henry VII., many of
the shermen of the Norfolk and Suffolk coasts were convicted
and ned £10 (= about £IOO to—day) for shing with small—
meshed nets and unlawful engines for taking small shes.
80
in the reign of James I., and subsequently, shenen near Bye
were
“taken” for shing with unlawful nets,—pr0ving that
_
1
Mr Jex, Fisheries ConferenCe, Part I. p. 818.