i88 THE SEA FISHERIES 



Downings is most useful for training young men to become coopers, 

 who, when their terms of apprenticeship are served, as a rule 

 obtain^ positions as herring-coopers with commercial firms. The 

 Board's cooperage is by its sales self-supporting. Since 1892 the 

 Board have spent a sum of £78,773 on marine works, including the 

 construction of boat -slips, small piers, landing places and lights or 

 beacons. 



In Scotland the condition of the inshore fisheries ^ has always been 

 the concern of the authorities. The early attempts of the Scottish 

 Fishery Board to foster the inshore fisheries by means of a bounty 

 system have already been touched upon. Towards the end of the 

 nineteenth century (1885 and 1895), the Fishery Board obtained 

 powers to close large areas of inshore waters to trawling, as a measure 

 of protection of the inshore fisherman. The most recent Committee 

 of Inquiry into the condition of the Scottish Sea Fisheries was that 

 appointed in September, 1911, by the Secretary for Scotland. 

 It was required to inquire and report upon the character and 

 national importance of the inshore and deep-sea fisheries of Norway 

 and other countries engaged in the North Sea fisheries, and the 

 efforts made for the development of the fishing and fish-curing 

 industry in all its branches, including (i) the system of fishery 

 administration, including the constitution and function of the 

 local committees formed for this purpose in Norway, and of any 

 similar organisations in other countries. (2) The facilities for 

 research and for educating and training those engaged in these 

 industries by the establishment of technical schools, museums, 

 laboratories, classes or other special facilities. (3) The nature of 

 the various means of capture employed, and the methods (includmg 

 any use of State credit) by which fishermen obtain the necessary 

 capital to maintain the efiiciency of their vessels and equipment, 

 and to report in regard to each of the foregoing matters whether it 

 would be advisable for simUar action to be taken, with or without 

 modification, in the case of the Scottish fishing industry, and if so 

 what means should be adopted. 



This Committee visited every country in Europe mterested m 

 the North Sea fishing (with the exception of England). Before they 

 reported, the President of the Board of Agriculture and F^henes 

 ^in January IQ13,) appointed a committee to mquire mto the 

 ^" se^t ToSiti^of tS inshore fisheri. of Enf nd a^^d W^^^ 

 and advise the Board as to the steps which could ^^th advanUge 

 be taken for their preservation and development. There is 



1 Reference should be made to a paper ^J^K^Qxy'to m^^Sous 

 Banffshire " in the Journal of the BanffsUre Field ^'^''J-°^IT^' 

 Sd interesting information on the inshore fisheries of Scotland. 



