Other classes of fish, notably shrimps, are not affected by 

 this criticism and can be and are discussed below. It is of the 

 utmost importance that some attempt should be made at the 

 earliest possible opportunity to discriminate between fish caught 

 within the Irish Sea area and fish from the Bay of Biscay, 

 Firth of Clyde, and S.W. Coast of Ireland. It is to be hoped 

 that some scheme may be devised for obtaining information 

 from the masters of fishing vessels of all classes as to the 

 quantity of fish captured, and where (within reasonable limits) 

 such fish have been captured. Until this, or some alternative 

 scheme to that in use at present, is done no satisfactory or 

 reliable statistical information can be looked for. 



The subject is one of sufficient importance to justify the 

 appointment of a Sub-Committee to consider the possibility of 

 devising some scheme for the collection of reliable statistics 

 for this District. This Sub-Committee, if appointed, could 

 enter into the question of the best means of obtaining reliable 

 information at the minimum cost, and several methods of 

 acquiring information readily suggest themselves. The ques- 

 tion of acquiring information direct from the masters of fishing 

 vessels might be considered, and its relative advantages and 

 disadvantages compared with the method of employing col- 

 lectors or utilising the services of the bailiffs to supplement 

 the Board of Trade returns. Failing statutory powers to 

 compel the masters of vessels to make returns of the quantity 

 of fish landed and the location of the fishing grounds, one 

 would be compelled to devise some system of payment to the 

 skippers for, say, monthly returns. 



Such a scheme would probably prove costly, and if any- 

 appreciable proportion of masters failed to make returns, or 

 rendered obviously inaccurate or misleading reports, then the 

 whole system would be vitiated. 



If such a scheme were considered, an estimate of the 

 approximate number of the boats registered from each of the 



