I conclude, from examining the contract between the parties, dated 14th September 1978, that what is being sold is a beneficial interest in the defendant's roe herring licence. Both parties fully realized that there was a restriction on transfer at the time and provided that, should the licence become transferable without consent at a later time, a transfer document would be forthcoming. The agreement also envisaged the transfer to the plaintiff or its nominee. As I see it, the defendant is for all practical purposes a nominee of the plaintiff, or trustee holding the licence until it could be transferred and, in the meantime, the plaintiff has bought and paid for the benefits of the fishing licence, not unlike the trapline licence held by a nominee in the Ernst v. Dumlich case.
"The most advanced legal research software ever built."
The above passage should not be considered legal advice. Reliable answers to complex legal questions require comprehensive research memos. To learn more visit www.alexi.com.