SCIENCE AND THE SEA FISHERIES 223 



reality pelagic it follows that no damage could be done to them 

 by the trawl. 



Many other observations having direct bearing upon im- 

 portant fishery problems were made from time to time by 

 independent investigators, but it was not until the year 1870 

 that the value of co-operation in fishery research was practically 

 recognised. 



Fishery investigations are naturally expensive to carry out. 

 Not only are specially equipped laboratories on shore desirable, 

 but a sea-going steamer provided with nets and other suitable 

 apparatus for the capture of fish and other marine organisms is 

 an absolute necessity. Consequently a body of investigators 

 working together under the control of a University, or a Govern- 

 ment Department, or a special Commission or Committee is much 

 more likely to produce results of value than a number of isolated 

 individuals working with inadequate funds. In 1870 the " Royal 

 Prussian Commission for the scientific investigation of the German 

 Seas " was established. This Commission has worked continuously 

 up to 1914, since 1902 in connection with the representatives of 

 other nations in a scheme for the joint exploration in the interests 

 of the sea fisheries of the hydrographical and biological conditions 

 of the Arctic Ocean and the North and Baltic Seas. 



Next in sequence comes the Scottish Fishery Board. Established 

 as " The Board of British White Herring Fishery " in 1808, it was 

 reconstituted in 1882. Shortly afterwards systematic scientific 

 investigations were developed — ^they had been rather spasmodic 

 previously — ^and in 1896 a special steamer (the Garland) was pur- 

 chased to carry on the work. 



In Ireland State-aided research is of more recent origin. The 

 provisions of the Agriculture and Technical Instruction (Ireland) 

 Act of 1899 enabled scientific research to be placed on a firm basis. 

 Previously the investigation of marine biology in Irish waters had 

 been undertaken by the Royal Irish Academy, and later by the 

 Royal Dublin Society. 



In England, the Central Authority (the Board of Agriculture 

 and Fisheries) had until recently no fund^ placed at its disposal 

 for the prosecution of scientific work on fishery problems. In the 

 Estimates for 1910-11 a sum of £8,240 was placed at the disposal 

 of the Board for the conduct ot the English share of the North Sea 

 International Fisheries Investigations (p. 245). Previously the 

 English share of the work had been carried out by the Marine 

 Biological As-ociation. 



The local authoiities — ^the District Fishery Committees — ^have 

 for the most part undertaken no scientific work. To this statement 



