Explore the long fight over who may fish in England’s rivers.
This book gathers historical argument and legal authorities to show how the public right to fish in navigable rivers, especially the Thames, has been recognized and defended for centuries.
This work frames the issue around claims by private proprietors versus public rights, tracing how royal charters, Magna Carta, and early statutes shaped who can fish with nets or rods. It blends historical narrative with legal precedent to explain why the Thames has long been treated as public water open to all subjects.
- Learn how authorities and statutes have supported a public right to fish in public rivers
- See the debate between private fishing rights and what the Crown and public law allow
- Understand how historical sources and legal cases were used to argue the case for open access
Ideal for readers of legal history, navigation law, and English public rights, this edition offers a clear view of a centuries-long dispute and its modern implications.