STATE AID AND FISHERY RESEARCH 245 



Britain and Ireland ; whereas the last Committee was concerned 

 with scientific investigation in England and Wales only. 



The reports of the first two Committees aie now mainly of 

 historical interest only, but some reference to their reports is, 

 nevertheless, necessary. 



When the Committee on Ichthyological Research reported, 

 scientific research was carried on by the Central Authorities in 

 Scotland and Ireland at the expense of the State. Both of these 

 bodies were at that time carrying on, and have continued, investi- 

 gations of the utmost value to their respective fisheries. In England 

 and Wales the Central Authority was not provided with funds 

 for scientific work, unless the collection of fishery statistics be so 

 considered ; the task of organising and directing research fell on 

 the Marine Biological Association and certain of the local fisheries 

 committees, the former body being the only one in England and 

 Wales at that time in receipt of State aid in connection with fisheries 

 work. The Committee on Ichthyological Research made a number 

 of recommendations, of which the following are the most important. 

 Provision to be made by the State of funds for the collection of 

 statistics from trawlers, and the examination of material at the 

 ports, for the provision of the necessary assistants at the marine 

 laboratories already in existence, for the provision and maintenance 

 of three research steamers, and for putting the staff in Scotland 

 and Ireland on a permanent basis. They also recommended that 

 statutory powers should be given to the local fisheries committees 

 in England and Wales to expend money on fishery research. 



Between 1902 and the publication of the report of the Committee 

 on Fishery Investigations in I908, a considerable advance was made 

 by the State in the provision of funds for fishery research. The 

 International Council referred to in the preceding chapter was 

 established as the result of Conferences held at Stockholm in 1899 

 and Christiania in 1901. The total expenditure incurred by Great 

 Britain up to 31st December, 1913, on the international fishery 

 investigations amounted to £154,919, exclusive of the cost of 

 printing the reports. In many other respects, the position of the 

 various authorities engaged in fishery research was pretty much 

 the same in 1907 as in 1902. The chief recommendations of the 

 Committee of 1908 were the establishment of a Central Fishery 

 Council for the United Kingdom, which should have the control 

 of public funds for fishery investigations of a national and inter- 

 national character ; the strengthening of the Board of Agriculture 

 and Fisheries as the Central Fishery Authority for England and 

 Wales, and the provision of additional funds to the Board for the 

 encouragement of local work ; the continuance to the Fishery 



