The only Design of the Company of Fishermen, By the Bill depending in the Honourable House of Commons, as far as relates to themselves is as follows, viz.  
1. THat thereby all the Fishermen may be equally known to the Government, as well as those of the Company; and when their Majesty's Service requires any number of them, that the Admiralty may, out of all such as get their Livelihood by fishing in public waters, be supplied with those that are best able to serve, and with due regard to the condition of their several Ages, Families and Trade.  
2. That those that are not of the Company, may not for want of a Register, and by hiding themselves during a Press, have the advantage when the Press is over, of returning to their Employ, and thereby get all the Trade into their own hands. And  
3. That the Fishermen may be free from those great abuses committed by Press-masters and Pinnaces, who take away as well Masters of Vessels, as common Sailors, and many times all the Men on board; leaving the charge of their Vessels, freighted for a London Voyage, to a Boy or two; by which means their Freights of Fish have been many times wholly lost, and the Vessels endangered.  
And as this Act will be to the benefit of the Fishermen in general, so appointing a Registry, as in the Act will evidently be, to the great advantage of the public; in that,  
1. Thereby the Government may know the Fishermen, their Names and Qualifications, as well as the Watermen are known on the River of Thames; and under the same restriction may be supplied, within the Company's limits, with some thousands of Men fit for Service, whilst the rest of the Fishermen may go on safely and quietly in their Employs: Whereas they now generally retire into remote places in time of Impressing, to the prejudice of the public; and such of them as are Impressed, do generally stand the Government in three or four pounds a man.  
2. That the Markets of London, and places adjacent, may be in time of War as plentifully supplied with all sorts of Fish as in times of Peace, at one third part of the present price; those of them that are left to the Fishing (after taking such as the Government shall like) having the privilege to pass to and fro with their Vessels without interruption, as the Watermen do.  
3. That the Running or Imbezzling of the Customs (much practised by the Kentish and Essex men) will in a great measure be prevented, in having the Names and places of Abode of the Fishermen Registered by the Company, who give great security to the Crown to prevent the Running of Customs; and do engage their Members by Oath not to consent to do or conceal the same, but to discover such Offenders, that they may be punished according to Law.