Sir James Maitland and the Howietoun Fishery
For several millennia man has in some way farmed his waters by holding fish captive in ponds. Not until the second half of the nineteenth century, however, as a result of a general concern in the industrialised nations that fishery stocks were declining, were serious attempts made to breed fish artificially. The most concerted of these attempts in Britain effectively began in 1873 when Sir James Maitland (1848-1897), a Scottish landowner, commenced experiments which evolved into the construction of the world's largest salmonoid piscicultural establishment. This operation, the Howietoun Fishery, sold its produce nationally on the open market, a new departure in pisciculture. It also advanced the piscicultural process scientifically in selectively breeding fish superior to nature's own. Maitland's work was not, in itself, particularly successful commercially. This was not, however, the result of commercial failure on his behalf but rather a reflection of his desire to develop pisciculture for the public good in an attempt to restock impoverished fisheries and to disseminate knowledge in the hope that others would be encouraged to imitate his example on a more commercial basis. Maitland's piscicultural work was
Hill, Stephen Anthony
Fish culture ; Fish stocking ; Salmonidae ; Maitland, James Ramsay Gibson, Sir, bart., 1848-1897
Sir James Maitland and the Howietoun Fishery. For several millennia man has in some way farmed his waters by holding fish captive in ponds. Not until the second half of the nineteenth century, however, as a result of a general concern in the industrialised nations that fishery stocks were declining, were serious attempts made to breed fish artificially. The most concerted of these attempts in Britain effectively began in 1873 when Sir James Maitland (1848-1897), a Scottish landowner, commenced experiments which evolved into the construction of the world's largest salmonoid piscicultural establishment. This operation, the Howietoun Fishery, sold its produce nationally on the open market, a new departure in pisciculture. It also advanced the piscicultural process scientifically in selectively breeding fish superior to nature's own. Maitland's work was not, in itself, particularly successful commercially. This was not, however, the result of commercial failure on his behalf but rather a reflection of his desire to develop pisciculture for the public good in an attempt to restock impoverished fisheries and to disseminate knowledge in the hope that others would be encouraged to imitate his example on a more commercial basis. Maitland's piscicultural work was
sir james fishery several millennium man way farm water hold fish captive however general concern industrialise nation fishery stock decline serious_attempt make breed fish artificially concert attempt britain effectively begin sir james scottish landowner commence evolve construction world large establishment operation fishery sell produce nationally open market new departure also advanced process scientifically selectively breed fish superior nature own work particularly successful commercially however commercial failure behalf rather reflection desire develop public good attempt impoverish fishery disseminate knowledge hope others would encourage imitate example commercial basis work