xxiv 



Fourth Annual Beport of the 



Scientitic 

 Experiments 

 and Fishery 

 Statistics, 



Closing Waters 

 against any 

 mode of 

 Fish i no-. 



Efficient Steam 

 Vessels to be 

 provided. 



Numbering 

 and Lettering 

 of Trawlers. 



Provisions of 

 Law to be 

 made known. 



Power of 

 Boards' Officers 

 when damage 

 is done to 

 Fishing Boats. 



Admiralty to 

 maintain 

 efficient Sen 

 Police. 



Sea Fisheries 

 (Scotland) 

 Amendment 

 Act. 



Bye-laws for 

 Closing Waters 

 against any 

 mode of 

 Fishing. 



Lettering and 

 Numbering of 

 Boats. 



their inquiry, they submitted a number of recommendations to Her 

 Majesty, of which the followiug relate to the sea fisheries of Scot- 

 land : — 



' That a central authority be created to supervise and control the 

 fisheries of Great Britain, if not of the United Kingdom, and that 

 a sum of money be annually granted tu sucli authority for the 

 purpose of conducting scientific experiments and for collecting 

 fishery statistics. 



' That in the meantime powers be given to the Scotch Fishery 

 Board similar to those of the Irish Board, enabling them to make 

 bye-laws for the regulation or suspension of beam trawling, or of 

 any other mode of fishing within territorial waters ; and that a 

 sum of money be granted annually by the Treasury for the pur- 

 poses mentioned in the last paragraph. 



' That statutory powers aud means be given to the fishery autho- 

 rities to enable them to collect adequate statistics. 



' That the cruisers serving under the Scotch Fishery Board, 

 whether employed for police or scientific purposes, be replaced 

 by efficient steam vessels. 



* That steam trawlers, besides having their number and letters 

 painted on the bow, should also have them painted on the 

 quarter. 



' That printed notices, stating concisely the provisions of the law 

 relating to the fishing industry, together with instructions to fisher- 

 men how to proceed in cases of injury to gear, be posted up in 

 every fishing port. 



' That in all cases of damage to a sea-fishing boat, where the 

 amount claimed is less than £10, a fishery officer, on complaint 

 verbal or otherwise made to him, and after proof that reasonable 

 notice of the complaint has been given to the party charged, 

 should be entitled to award compensation whether the party 

 charged appear or not. That, whether an appearance be entered 

 or not, the amount of compensation awarded should be embodied 

 in a certificate signed by the officer, in virtue of which the com- 

 plainant should be entitled to recover the amount certified before 

 a Small Debt Court in Scotland. 



' That arrangements be made with the Admiralty for the mainte- 

 nance of an efficient sea-police at all times. Efficient steam 

 vessels should be employed as fishery cruisers under the fishery 

 authorities, and the number of vessels employed on this service 

 should be sufficient, with assistance from the ships of the Koyal 

 Navy at certain seasons of the year, to ensure the adequate per- 

 formance of police duties and the preservation of order among the 

 various classes of fishermen round the coasts of the United 

 Kingdom.' 



The above-mentioned Eeport was presented to Parliament in 

 J\Iarch last year, and, in August following, the Sea Fisheries 

 (Scotland) Amendment Act, 1885, was passed empowering the 

 Board to make bye-laws for restricting or prohibiting any 

 mode of fishing in any part of the sea adjoining Scotland, and 

 within the exclusive fishery limits of the British Islands; to enforce 

 the laws as to the numbering and lettering of fishing-boats, includ- 



