of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



liii 



during the year 1914 in connection with the Scottish fisheries are 

 shown in Appendix F, No. III. 



Twenty-four lives were lost during the year — a decrease of 6 as com- 

 pared with 1913. Five persons met their deaths through the foundering 

 of their boats, 2 were lost in collisions, 3 men were washed overboard, 

 7 fell overboard, and 7 were knocked overboard or killed by sails. 



The number of boats totally wrecked was 32, and their value 

 £16,215, these figures representing a decrease of 8 m lunnber, and of 

 £4874 in value from those for 1913. Tlic number of boats damaged 

 also shows a considerable decrease (602 against 828), while tlio amount 

 of damage was £20,754, as against £31,981. Unfortunately the value 

 of nets and gear lost or damaged in 1914 shows the large increase of 

 £13,236, as compared with the preceding year's figures. The total 

 pecuniarv loss, however, shows a decrease of £2865 when compared 

 with 1913, the figures being respectively £124,147, and £127,012. On 

 account of the war very few vessels went to the English fishing, and 

 consequently the loss of gear at that fishing, which is usually very 

 heavy, was negligible, although one boat belonging to Buckie struck 

 a mine and sank, five members of the crew being lost. 



PREVENTION OF DAMAGE BY TRAWLERS TO SUBMARINE 



CABLES. 



The inspection of trawl gear at Aberdeen, Leith, and Dundee by 

 the Board's officers was carried out during the year in a highly satis- 

 factory manner. As hitherto, the officers were given every facility 

 in their rounds of inspection by all with whom tliey came in contact. 



No serious defects were discovered in the gear inspected, the 

 numbers given in the return below under " found defective " being 

 chiefly referable to trawlers whose boards had broken keels, loose pro- 

 truding bolts, or similar trivial defects, and in each case these defects 

 were remedied before the vessels left for sea. 



During the year 228 new sets of trawl boards were noted as having 

 been shipped to replace those unfit for use and considered dangerous 

 to submarine telegraph cables. 



The following return shows the number of inspections of trawl 

 gear made during 1914, distinguishing between (1) Scottish, 

 (2) English, and (3) Foreign trawlers : — 



Port. 



Number of Inspections. 



Gases in which gear found 

 Defective. 



Scottish. 



English. 



Foreign. 



Scottish. 



English. 



Foreign. 



Aberdeen . 



4,094 



139 



414 



501 



3 





Leith 



567 



30 





5 



3 





Dundee . . 



87 



1 











Total 



4,748 



170 



414 



506 



6 





