98 



MIXUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE 



11 2Iarch 1904. J 



Mr. M. TuTTON. 



[Continued. 



Chairman — continued. 



sea fishing steam trawler. We are opening out 

 a very large industry, you know. 



1835. Ai-e there any steam trawlers sailing 

 from your district ? — Yes. 



1836. From Bristol ?— From Swansea. "We 

 have at present about 14 large sea-going steam 

 trawlers, in addition to the liners and the sailing 

 skiffs. They bring a very large quantity of fish 

 into Swansea, the quantity last year being 

 between 3,000 and 3,500 tons". 



1837. Was much of it undersized fish ? — A 

 good deal of it undersized. 



1838. And where do they fish ? — Right away, 

 wherever they can catch them, down to the Bay 

 ot Biscay. 



1839. And east ? — Xot so much east ; they 

 leave that to the east coast men themselves. 

 We are now providing accommodation at Swan- 

 sea for one fleet of 22 deep sea trawlers, and we 

 have no doubt at all that many others will 

 follow. 



1840. Do you know at all what the views of 

 these trawler-owners are with respect to the 

 limit of size ? — I have not any personal know- 

 ledge of their views, but inasmuch as the dealers 

 in the town are also the dealers fi-om the stake 

 nets, the position would be the same in regard 

 to whatever the source of supph' would be. 



1841. But they would be hit by the prohibi- 

 tion of sale ; but the dealers in the town would 

 not be hit by a prohibition of landing ? — That is 

 so, but the trawlers themselves would be met 

 by the same law in all our ports round all the 

 coast, and although they would probably not 

 say that they liked it very much, first of all, 

 I think the whole tendency of opinion is to an 

 enlightened view on the question of undersized 

 fish. 



1842. Is it a season trade, the undersized 

 fish ? — The fish are coming all the year 

 round. 



1843. But do they bring in undersized flat 

 fish at particular times of the year in greater 

 quantities than at other times ? — I could not 

 say that they do. I could not give you reliable 

 information as to that. 



Chaii'man — continued. 



1844. Would there be any means of furnish- 

 ing the committee with any statistics as to the 

 proportion borne by the undersized fish landed 

 m Swansea to the total catch ? — 1 could get you 

 very likely a reliable opinion and I could get 

 the total quantities landed. I have given the 

 total quantities landed last year from the deep 

 sea trawlers I think as a matter of fact the 

 exact quantity was 3,138 tons, and we expect 

 mthin a very short period to have the quantity 

 raised up to between 8,000 and 10,000 tons in a 

 j^ear. 



1845. We have had it in evidence here that 

 the total catch brought into Billingsgate was in 

 certain months of the year somewhat like as 

 50 is to 70 ; I mean that out of 70, 50 would be 

 small plaice ? — I was not aware of that. 



184(3. Any information of that kind we shall 

 be glad to receive ? — If j^ou please. 



Duke of Aberccn^n. 



1847. What '.;lass of fish do your trawlers 

 catch ? — We get round fish of all sorts, and we 

 get considerable quantities of flat fish. 



1848. Plaice ? — Yes, plaice, soles, turbot, and 

 brill. We are exceptionally well situated so far 

 as distribution is concerned, and therefore we look 

 to a very largely increased trade there from the 

 fishing industry. We have the Midland Eail- 



'way, the London and North Western Railway, 

 the Great Western Railway, and two other local 

 railways leading up into very thickly populated 

 parts of the country. 



1849. I suppose some of your grounds might 

 be termed new grounds at the present time, 

 because owing to the increase in trawlers you 

 are able to go into deeper waters ? — Yes ; 

 that is to say, they follow the fish 

 practically; wherever the fish are to be found 

 they follow them and bring in large catches. 



1850. Are the crew sharers in the profits ? — 

 I think that is the position ':hey go on, to some 

 extent. 



The Witness is directed to withdraw. 



Mr. ^VILLIAM HENRY" PIBEL is called in ; and Exaixdned as foUows : — 



Chairman. 



1851 You, I think, have been engaged in the 

 wholesale fish busmess for many years m 

 London, in Billingsgate ?— Yes . 



1852 Have you also branches and agents m 

 most of the ports of England ?— In every port 

 where there is any quantity of fish. 



1853. And in some Continental ports ? — 



Yes 



1854. Have you also retail businesses?— 



Yes. . . 



1855 Are you concerned in the administration 

 ot any steam trawler companies ?— Not at the 

 present time. I have been. 



1856. Have you looked at this Bill ?— 

 Yes. 



Chairman — continued. 



1857. Are you disposed to consider that if 

 passed into an Act it would be an advantage to 

 your trade? — 1 am. 



1858. Do you think that there is any fear, as 

 has been expressed by some witnesses, that the 

 Board might make regulations which would 

 press hardly upon some branches of the trade ? — 

 I do not think there is any fear of that. The 

 great thing that frightens everybody in the trade 

 is the action of the Scotch Fishery Board with 

 regard to the Moray Firth, but this is a new 

 Board, and it is constituted under the Board of 

 Agriculture, We have seen what the Board of 

 Agriculture has done, and I think we have no 

 fear of anything of the sort. At the ^me time 



it 



