OUR SEA FISHERIES. 205 



mesh. The present bill was nothing more than a 

 thirty years' bill of indemnity to the Fishery Board 

 for the improper violation of all Acts, and handing 

 them over the Ml control of the fisheries to do with 

 as they pleased. In fact, the Lord Advocate and the 

 Fishery Board did not object to the system of trawl- 

 ing, while the trade and public were strongly against 

 it. Upon this point a committee in Glasgow was 

 appointed to oppose the bill in Parliament ; and 

 thanks to the able advocacy of our Scotch members 

 for making the present bill what it is, the title only 

 of which is due to the Lord Advocate. The new 

 bill, prohibiting trawling and enacting a close-time 

 from the 1st of January to the 31st of May, has now 

 been in operation several months, and you all wellhnow 

 with what perfect indifference the Fishery Board has 

 put the law in force. Trawling has gone on to a greater 

 extent than ever. Two of her Majesty's war-steamers 

 are said to be continually in Loch Fyne and the 

 Lochs, but we seldom hear of these vessels being far 

 from Bothesay. The Fishery Board is either unable 

 or unwilling to put the Act in force ; for I cannot 

 believe but that the two steamers now stationed 



« 



on the west coast could have put down trawling in a 



week's time if they had had the commands to do so." 



Such is the evidence publicly offered by practical 



