2i8 THE SEA FISHERIES 



to chief engineers, 33 to seconds, while 62 certificates issued by 

 other examining bodies were endorsed. Similar examining bodies 

 are now in existence at most of the leading steam trawler ports. 



The education of juveniles, including apprentices, may properly 

 be considered apart from that of the older fishermen. In the first 

 place it must be made clear that in England and Wales no boy 

 under thirteen years shall enter into any apprenticeship, and a boy 

 under sixteen years shall not be taken to sea in a fishing boat of 

 25 tons and upwards to serve in any capacity unless bound by an 

 indenture of apprenticeship. Apprenticeship is now almost extinct^ 

 in the fishing trade, with the exception of the Ramsgate smacks ; 

 on board of which there were from forty to fifty apprentices engaged 

 early in 1914, not a large number for the 159 first-class fishing 

 smacks registered at Ramsgate. 



Consequently in almost all English and Welsh fishing ports no 

 boy goes to sea in a fishing boat of over 25 tons tonnage until he is 

 sixteen years of age. The consequence is that between the ages at 

 which the fishing boys leave the elementary day school (13 or 14) 

 and the time when they go to sea (16) they are engaged in casual 

 employment ashore, and no systematic effort appears to be made 

 by the local education authorities to provide suitable instruction 

 which would make these boys more efficient seamen and fishermen 

 when the time comes for them to go to sea." 



It is a matter for regret that in both large and small fishing 

 ports in England and Wales there is a large number of lads and 

 boys whose energies are running to waste. Employed during the 

 day as errand boys or in odd jobs about the docks, in the smaller 

 fishing villages as golf caddies, in hotel service their leisure hours 

 are often spent m undesirable surroundings. The Education Act 

 of 1918 when it comes into operation will presumably alter all this. 



In Belgium^ the education of young lads who wish to become 

 fishermen is specially provided for, and deserves more than a 

 passing reference. There are three types of schools available for 



(i) Professional Fishery Schools, subsidised by the State. These 

 schools are aided by the State to the extent of about three-fifths of 

 their expenditure, the other two-fifths being borne by the com- 



""' r&tslj what'oUows relates to pre-war conditions. 



