of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



ix 



Improvement of Fishery Harbours. 



From time to time the Board has pressed the growing need of 

 increased harbour accommodation, owing to the change from sailing 

 boats to steamers of the vessels engaged in the herring fishing. 

 Harbours which, however adequate to the circumstances which existed 

 at the time of their erection, are becoming year by year less adequate 

 to accommodate the growing demand both in docking space and depth 

 of water. Fishermen are thus forced to have their fishing boats at 

 sometimes considerable distances from their homes when laid up for 

 the winter months. The attention and repairs required can only be 

 carried out at great expense in travelling and otherwise, to say 

 nothing of enhanced dock charges. Several other inconveniences and 

 economic dangers following upon the phenomenal rapidity of change 

 from sailing power to steam have impressed upon the Board the 

 absolute necessity of making the harbours reasonably adequate to 

 meet that change. This is without doubt the most pressing problem 

 in connection with the herring fishing industry. 



The establishment of a National Development Fund under the 

 provisions of the Development Act (9 Edw. 7, c. 47), (with special 

 powers under Section 1, sub-section (1) (e) and (g) for the Treasury, 

 upon the recommendation of the Development Commissioners, to 

 make advances to a Government Department, or through a Govern- 

 ment Department, to a Public Authority for among other objects 

 (e) the construction and improvement of harbours, and (g) the 

 development and improvement of fisheries) appeared to the Board 

 to afford a favourable opportunity to bring this subject as a*whole 

 under the notice of the Development Commissioners before they 

 decided upon the merits of individual cases submitted to them. In 

 order to expiscate matters fully a Committee of the Board visited 

 the localities, and interviewed the various harbour authorities and 

 inspected the harbours. They duly reported to the Board, and the 

 Board to the Development Commissioners. The latter body after- 

 wards deputed two of their number, namely, the Vice-Chairman and 

 Mr. Haldane, together with their Secretary, to visit these localities, 

 and they were accompanied by the Deputy-Chairman and Secretary 

 of the Fishery Board. 



The result up to this date is shown in the following table. 



[Table. 



