ORGANISING THE SUPPLY.

Following the first annual meeting of the Association of British Fisheries, in Fishmongers’ Hall, came the first annual dinner, presided over by Sir Edward Busk, at the Hotel Russell. The object of this new organisation is to concentrate and amalgamate the many interests concerned in the fishing industry – trawler-owners, wholesalers, retailers,, curers, refrigeraters, fish-fryers, scientific and research workers, anglers, and so on – and Government appreciation of the beneficial results likely to accrue from so important a design was testified by the presence at the dinner of the Earl of Ancaster, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries. Viscount Burnham, Lord R. Cavendish, Vice-admiral R. H. Anstruther, and Major C. Entwistle, M.P., chairman of the Parliamentary Fisheries Committee, were likewise present.

Major C. ENTWISTLE, in the absence of Lord Leverhulme, proposed “His Majesty’s Ministers,” observing that the Parliamentary Fisheries Committee, of which he was chairman, were vitally interested in the future of the fishing industry, and it was, in his opinion a very fine thing that the various associations and bodies in the industry should co-operate.

FREEDOM OF SEAS.

The Earl of ANCASTER, Deputy Minister of Fisheries, responding to the toast, said he believed that the real secret of an industry’s success was, first, that it should manage its own affairs. It was only when there were really grave difficulties that an industry should ask for Government assistance. Of all industries, he believed the fishing industry had acted up to this principle.

Referring to the importance of the fishing industry, his lordship said perhaps it ought to be an even greater source of food for the people than it was. Perhaps as days went by people would more and more discover the value of fish as a food, and the association should consider how, by means of propaganda, it could popularise the consumption of fish.

Having alluded to the necessity of fostering the export fish trade, Lord Ancaster attributed to past conflicts between the British and the Dutch on the fishing fields the foundation of that spirit which in later years kept the seas for Britain against the French. History, he said, repeated itself. It was for the fishing industry to show the same individual enterprise and pluck, and to see that the fishing grounds of the world should be free to English and Scottish fishermen. (Cheers.)

Lord RICHARD CAVENDISH, submitting “The Association of British Fisheries,” said the development commission of which he was a member welcomed the creation of this association. The experience the commission had gained from assisting various independent bodies to pursue research had given them a totally different view of that matter. They believed that the secrets of the ocean and the economic development of what it contained were not outside the range of human endeavour.

PUBLIC OPINION.

Viscount BURNHAM, proposing “The Worshipful Company of Fishmongers,” said that when he was in the House of Commons forty years ago a fish dinner was a favourite and acceptable form of entertainment. He recollected going down to a fish dinner of the Cobden Club held to advocate Free Trade in fishing. Lord Palmerston, they would recollect, anticipated Sir J. Crichtonbrowne. at the Ministerial dinner at which he last presided, when pointing to the whitebait he said, “These little fish have drunk a great deal, but they say nothing. Why cannot members of Parliament be like little fishes?” He could not answer in the presence of so many M.P.’S why that was so. (Laughter.)

He personally rejoiced at the formation of this association. He believed one of the most valuable things that they could do was to create and cultivate a public opinion, for it was upon public opinion that the fate and fortunes of our industries depended.

Their industry had been subjected, he supposed, to as great revolutions in the last three-quarters of a, century as any in the country – revolutions in the method of gathering the harvest of the sea, and of transpor. They were now a long way fronthe time when fish went by road-coach, and was not considered really eatable until it had an ancient and fish-like smell about it. (Laughter.) Now they had to create a public opinion which would increase tenfold the consumption of fish. There might be 25,000 fried-fish shops in the country, distributing 150,000 tons of fish, but that was nothing to what might be achieved. He believed no better service could be done by this association than by devoting itself to demonstrating what fish ought to be in the diet and livelihood of the British people.