THE EDUCATION OF FISHERMEN 217 



fishing boats is necessary. In the first place there is no special 

 examination by the Board of Trade for engineers of fishing vessels, 

 as the horse-power of the engines on these vessels does not usually 

 exceed the Board of Trade limit of 99 nominal horse-power, above 

 which it is necessary to have a certificated man in charge. At 

 present this limit applies only to foreign-going steamers. 



To sit for a second-class certificate (engineers) of the Board of 

 Trade, a man must have served an apprenticeship, and subsequently 

 serve at sea for not less than twelve months in a foreign-going 

 steamer, or eighteen months in the home trade. To become a first- 

 class engineer the sea service is the same, but six months in a 

 foreign-going steamer is essential. Time served by engineers on 

 board fishing vessels is only accepted by the Board of Trade on the 

 following conditions. Two months' service in a fishing boat to be 

 equivalent to one month's quahfying service. Candidates for second- 

 class certificates may perform all their sea service in sea-going 

 trawlers, but they must have been on regular watch on the main 

 engines or boilers, and the vessels must not be less than 66 nominal 

 horse-power. Candidates for first-class certificates must have 

 served in vessels of at least 99 nominal horse-power, and have been 

 in charge of a watch >n the main engines or boilers. They must, 

 in addition, have served in a qualifying capacity for at least six 

 months in a foreign-going cargo or passenger steamship, or nine 

 months in a home-trade cargo or passenger steamship. These 

 regulations exclude all steam trawler engineers from first-class 

 certificates, and all but a few from the second class. In order to 

 enable them to qualify with the Board of Trade requirements a 

 reduction of the nominal horse-power to 35 is necessary. Probably 

 as a result of these requirements and the absence of a special 

 examination there is no provision in England and Wales for the 

 education of these men, with the doubtful exception of Grimsby. 

 The need of some test for fishing vessel engineers has long been 

 felt by the owners of these vessels, who have consequently instituted 

 examinations and grant their own certificates of competency. For 

 instance, the Aberdeen Amalgamated Engineers Examination 

 Board, affiliated with the United Kingdom Steam Tug and Trawlers 

 Insurance Association, and the Aberdeen Mutual and General 

 Marine Insurance Company have granted such certificates since 

 the commencement of 1910. "While this examination is primarily 

 intended for engineers on steam trawlers, some of the owners of 

 steam drifters look for men who possess this Aberdeen certificate 

 to take the position of drivers on steam drifters. In 1909-10 the 

 Fleetwood Fishing Vessel Owners Association instituted an examina- 

 tion for engineers, and in the first year 59 certificates were granted 



