§ SIR GEORGE CLERKbegged to put a question to the right hon. President of the Board of Trade with respect to the oyster fisheries. By the convention with France, both English and French fishermen were prohibited dredging for oysters in the months of May, June, July, and August, but the terms of the convention had been modified so as to allow London to be supplied with oysters in August. The fishermen of both countries had of late been fishing, not on the coast, but in mid-channel, for oysters which were in good condition in the prohibited months. As a memorial had been presented to the Board of Trade on the subject, and the subsistence of the families of some very industrious men on the coast of Kent and Sussex was involved, he wished to ask if the Government had considered the matter with a view to modify the law in concurrence with France, so as to allow them to dredge for deep-sea oysters in May and June which were in excellent condition; and also if the right hon. Gentleman would lay copies of the memorial and the correspondence on the subject on the table of the House, as on a former occason he had stated that he would do?
§ MR. HENLEYsaid, the question was One of importance to a great number of fishermen; for the law, which was intended to prevent poaching on oyster beds, was so severe, that it prevented their catching a particular kind of oyster, which many persons would be glad to eat in the close season. Now there was a penalty against having dredges in the boats, but there was no penalty for having the oysters in their boats, or, on their landing, selling or eating them. The memorial praying for 245 a relaxation of the law had occupied his attention, and he would consider the subject, and if he could see any way, in concurrence with France, of relaxing the law, so as to enable the fishermen to fish in the deep sea, without endangering the operation of the law against poaching in the close season, he wished to do so. He would shortly lay the papers referred to on the table.