of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



xlix 



situation and substantial penalties had been inflicted in a number of 

 cases that matters resumed their normal conditions. 



The areas most affected by this outbreak were the Firth of Clyde 

 and Luce Bay, and the coast of Aberdeenshire, between Aberdeen and 

 Peterhead. 



The months of September and October and the early part of 

 November witnessed an incursion of English trawlers into Luce Bay 

 and the Firth of Clyde, 34 separate vessels being detected by the 

 Board's Fishery Officers, by Naval patrol vessels, or by fishermen and 

 other private individuals. Li each case the accused made the excuse 

 that the Admiralty Orders for fishing vessels in force at the time were 

 understood by trawl skippers to permit travv^ling in all waters on the 

 West Coast, an understanding which was wholly incorrect, and which 

 should have been verified before being acted on. In the first cases 

 tried the presiding Sheriff imposed nominal fines of £5, and the prece- 

 dent was followed in the majority of the other cases. In 3 of the 

 cases the charges were not pressed owing to the accused being engaged 

 in mine-sweeping when the trials occurred. 



In the East Coast cases the war conditions also provided the 

 excuses in the majority of the cases. The excuse proffered varied in 

 details, but was generally to the effect that-the accused understood that 

 the prohibition of trawling in inshore waters was in abeyance, on 

 account of, or as compensation for, the restrictions imposed by the 

 Admiralty on fishing in the North Sea. In the earlier cases modified 

 penalties were generally imposed, but these did not prove a deterrent, 

 and later offences were met by substantial fines, the maximum per- 

 missible being imposed in one case. The results of the trials and the 

 knowledge that measures had been taken to detect offenders proved 

 effectual, and only two cases were reported during December. 



The total amount of the fines imposed was £1810, an excess of £465 

 over the amount for 1913. The average fine shows a decrease from 

 £51 to £27, this being principally due to the very moderate penalties 

 imposed in the Firth of Clyde cases referred to above. In 7 cases the 

 accused elected to go to prison rather than pay the fine, and the 

 total fines paid amounted to £1412, 7s. 6d., this representing an increase 

 of £692, 7s. 6d. on the previous year's figure. 



Only 2 prosecutions of the skippers of foreign trawlers were 

 recorded, both referring to alleged offences within the three mile limit 

 in the Moray Firth. In 1 of the cases a verdict of " Not proven " 

 was returned. 



In Appendix K, No. IV. (p. 171), will be found a summary of 

 the prosecutions since the year 1886. 



PROSECUTIONS FOR OTHER OFFENCES. 



Appendix K, No. III. (p. 109) gives |>articuliir;-. of piosocutions of 

 the masters of fishing vessels for offences other thaji lilegai li'awling. 

 There were 20 prosecutions during 1914, an increase of 16 on the 

 previous year's figm*e. Six were in connection with trawling 

 offences, 3 being for failure to exhibit the regulation lights while 

 trawling by night, 2 for coiK'calnient of distingi'ishing letters and 

 numbers, and 1 for refusal to obey the orders of a Sea Fishery Officer. 



