Legal Definitions - fish royal

The term fish royal refers to a historical legal concept in England. It designates certain large marine creatures—specifically whales, sturgeon, and porpoises—as the exclusive property of the Crown (the reigning monarch) if they were found stranded on the English coast or caught in the waters nearby. This ancient prerogative allowed the sovereign to claim ownership of these valuable marine animals.

• Imagine a scenario in the 17th century where a large sperm whale washes ashore, deceased, on a beach in Cornwall. Under the doctrine of fish royal, this whale would not belong to the local landowner or the villagers who discovered it. Instead, its carcass, including its valuable blubber and bones, would legally become the property of the reigning monarch, such as King Charles II, to dispose of as he saw fit.

• Consider a fishing vessel operating off the coast of Kent in the medieval period. If its nets unexpectedly caught a massive sturgeon, a fish highly prized for its meat and roe, the crew could not simply keep or sell their valuable catch. Because sturgeon was explicitly categorized as fish royal, the fishermen would be legally obligated to report it, and the sturgeon would be claimed as property of the Crown, perhaps for the royal kitchens or as a gift.

• Picture a pod of porpoises becoming disoriented and trapped in a shallow bay along the coast of Norfolk during a particularly low tide centuries ago. If these porpoises were to perish or be captured in such circumstances, their remains would historically fall under the definition of fish royal. Despite their smaller size compared to whales, porpoises were included in this royal prerogative, meaning their ownership would legally revert to the monarch.