xlviii 



Thirty-third Annual Report 



in previous Reports, and H.M.S. " Ringdove " was principally engaged 

 in the Moray Firtli. 



The work of the cruisers during that period presented no new 

 features, except that a specially close patrol of the Moray Firth was 

 carried out during the cod-net fishing season, and to that patrol 

 the decrease in the damage caused by foreign trawlers to the cod nets 

 was largely due. 



On the outbreak of the war the Board's vessels passed into the 

 service of the Admiralty, and since that time they have been engaged 

 on not unimportant duties connected with the defence of the country. 



The mobilisation of the cruisers left the Board without the means 

 of patrolling the waters closed to trawling, and to this fact the out- 

 break of illegal trawling, which is referred to later in this Report, 

 appears to have been largely due. 



This outbreak of trawling re'idered special measures necessary, and 

 the Board accordingly chartered a drifter to patrol the waters on the 

 East Coast which were specially affected, while in the more protected 

 waters of the Firth of Clyde motor boats were engaged when necessary. 



The vessels employed by the Admiralty for patrolling the coast 

 also rendered very valuable assistance in the suppression of illegal 

 trawling in both areas, and the Board desire to place on record their 

 deep sense of indebtedness to the Admiral Commanding, Coast of 

 Scotland, and to the other Naval Officers concerned for such assistance. 



The Board also desire to express their appreciation of the action 

 taken by fishermen and others, frefjucntly at inconvenience and risk 

 to themselves, in detecting and reporting trawlers contravening the 

 law. 



By the Admiralty Orders for Fishing Vessels issued in December 

 the greater portion of Scottish waters was closed to trawlers, and in 

 consequence of that and of the special measures taken illegal trawling 

 was reduced to negligible proportions at the close of the year. 



PROSECUTIONS FOR ILLEGAL TRAWLING. 



It will be observed from Appendix K, No. IL (p. 162), that 

 during the year 1914 the iiunibej- o[ pj'o.-t cutions for illegal trawling 

 round the Scottish coasts was 73, from which 67 convictions resulted, 

 the corresponding figures for the previous year being 29 and 27 

 respectively. 



The great increase in the number of cases was due mainly to the 

 conditions created by the war, which provided the opportunity or 

 excuse for an outbreak of illegal trawling in the later months of the 

 year. Of the 73 cases only 12 were for offences prior to the month 

 of August. 



As indicated above, the Board's cruisers were, at the outbreak of 

 the war, mobilised to undertake certain duties in connection with the 

 defence of tlie country, and for a time the Board were without means 

 of patrolling the waters closed to trawling. 



It might reasonably have been expected that, in the circumstances, 

 trawlers would have been careful to refrain from encroaching on waters 

 closed to trawling, but, unfortunately, this did not prove to be the 

 case, and it was not until measures had been taken to deal with the 



