[89 ] 



Die Veneris, IL^ Martii 1904. 



PRESENT : 



Marquess of Abekcorn (Duke of 



Abercorn). 

 Earl of Onslow. 



Earl of Yarborouqh. 

 Lord Northbourne. 

 Lord Heneage. 



The Right Hon. the Earl of ONSLOW, g.c.m.g., in the Chair. 



Mr. EDWARD WINDEATT is called in ; and Examined as follows :— 



Gliairtnan. 



1618. You are, I think, Chairman of the Devon 

 Sea Fisheries Committee ? — Yes. 



1619. And you have been ever since that 

 Committee has been formed ? — ^Yes. 



1620. You have, I presume, byelaws ? — Yes ; 

 I have a copy which 1 can hand in, with the 

 dates when they were confirmed {handing in the 

 same). Vide Appendix. 



1621. Have you any powers under your bye- 

 laws to limit the size of fish that are caught ? — 

 No. 



1622. Do you think it is desirable that you 

 should have such powers ? — Yes, I do. 



1623. Would you prefer that those powers 

 should be exercised by local committees or by 

 a central authority ? — By a central authority. 



1624. Is there much destruction of undersized 

 fish off the coasts of Devon and Cornwall ?— 

 I do not think there is very great destruction. 

 I have a list of what the fishery officer took 

 within the last fortnight. He says: "During 

 the past ten days I have visited the following 

 places where trawl fishing is carried on, namely, 

 Beer, Brixham, and Plymouth. At Beer the 

 trawlers landed small lots of plaice and dabs, 

 and about 30 per cent, were very small. They 

 also landed a few soles, there being no small 

 ones among them. At Brixham the trawlers 

 during the past fortnight have landed very good 

 catches of plaice, and the quality has been very 

 good on the whole, there not being more than 

 15 per cent, of small. The soles they have 

 landed have been a very fair size, and the 

 turbot and brill also. At Plymouth the trawlers 

 have landed small catches of flat fish, but the 

 quaUty has been very good, not more than 10 

 per cent, being small. There has not been any 

 seining throughout the district for several weeks. 

 With reference to the size of the different fish 

 vou mentioned, I should say for a sole not under 

 8 inches, a plaice not under 8 inches, a turbot 



(0.10) 



Chairman — continued. 



not under 10 inches, and a brill not under 10 

 inches,. The size I have mentioned is from head 

 to tail over all." 



1625. What are the sizes of the largest 

 trawlers that go out from Plymouth and Brix- 

 ham. They are all sailing trawlers, I presume ? 

 — They are all sailing. We do not allow any 

 steam trawlers within the 3-mile limit. 



1626. But in the ports of Plymouth, and 

 Brixham are there any ? — No, there may be one 

 or two at Plymouth, but not more. At Brixham 

 under 15 tons there are 253; under 35 tons, 40. 



1627. What is the maximum ? — I believe 

 they go up as far as 70 tons. 



1628. Where do the vessels of 70 tons go to 

 trawl ? — They trawl in the Channelj and they 

 also have gone lately to the Bristol Channel. 



1629. Do any of them go to the North Sea ? 

 — Occasionally one may, but very seldom now. 



1630. Have you ever been out on a trawler 

 yourself? — No, I have not. 



1631. Do you know whether the practice or 

 the owners of trawlers is to throw small fish 

 overboard or to bring them in ? — Very largely to 

 throw them overboard. 



1632. Do you know whether, in their opinion,, 

 the majority of those fish live, or whether they 

 die ?— They die. 



1633. The majority ?— Yes. 



1634. The plaice ?— Yes. 



1635. The soles also ?— Yes. 



1636. Do you agree with your inspector as to 

 the sizes of the fish ? — I do. 



1637. Do you think an 8-inch limit for plaice 

 would be effectual ? — I think it would. 



1638. And do you think that if the fish under 

 8 inches were spared they would grow to be 

 sizeable fishes ? — Yes. 



1639. And therefore improve the food supply? 

 —Yes. 



1640. Do you think that view is shared by the 

 M men 



