XXVlll 



Fourth A n nual Report of the 



by Mr T. D. Brodie, W.S., Edinburgh, Mr James Flockliart, and 

 Mr William Merrilees ; the Cellardyke fishermen by Mr J. Eitchie 

 Welch, solicitor, St Andrews, and Mr James Smith ; the Pitten- 

 weem fishermen by Messrs James Hughes, James Gray, and J. G. 

 Mitchell ; St Monance by Messrs David Duncan and William 

 Kinnear ; Fisherrow by Messrs Alexander Caird and Walter Banks ; 

 Prestoupans by Mr George Ptoss ; Cockeuzie by Messrs John Dick- 

 son and William Johnstone ; Broughty Ferry by Mr Peter Sim ; 

 Buckhaven by Messrs Thomas Hutchison and W^ alter Deas. The 

 deputations were introduced by Sir Eobert Anstruther, MP. At 

 the interview representatives of those present were heard at con- 

 siderable length as to their respective interests. 

 Statement on Sir Thomas J. Boyd, chairman of this Board, and Professor Ewart, 

 Fishery Board, couvener of their Scientific Investigation Committee, attended the 

 meeting on behalf of the Board. They stated, that they saw no 

 reason in the circumstances of the case why the decision of the 

 Board making the bye-law should be altered, and asked that it 

 should be confirmed. Professor Ewart then explained the nature of 

 the experiments which were the reason of its being made. He 

 said that it was impossible for the Board to say at present whether 

 the areas specified were sufiiciently extensive or not. They must 

 make some investigations before even that question could be 

 settled. If, after having made some inquiries in St Andrews Bay, 

 they believed the line should be extended, he had no doubt the 

 Board would be prepared to do so, but he held that they ought at 

 the outset only to enclose such waters as were required for their 

 experiments. 



Secretary for Thereafter your Lordship summed up the arguments used on 

 SS^fuUvtooL- sides, in order, as you said, to make sure that you 



sider all that thoroughly understood them; and you then informed those present 

 had been said. would very carefuUy consider all that had been said 



before coming to any conclusion. The interview, which lasted 

 nearly two hours and a half, was brought to a close with a 

 vote of thanks to your Lordship for receiving the deputations. 

 Bye-law con- The result was that you confirmed the bve-law on 8th April last 

 in the terms framed by the Board. 



The Board, in order to be in a position to undertake the experi- 

 ments referred to, in the event of the bye-law being confirmed, 

 applied to the Lords of the Treasury for funds to enable them to pur- 

 chase a small vessel for trawling and provide the requisite appli- 

 ances and assistance. In response to this application, the Treasury 

 agreed to place a sum of money on the estimates to be laid before 

 Parliament which, in addition to paying for a steam tender, will 

 admit of the operations being carried on throughout at least the first 

 half of the present financial year. With part of this money the 

 Board have purchased a small steam vessel (the ' Garland ') which, 

 as soon as fitted out as a trawler, will be utilised for making a 

 systematic examination of the enclosed waters. This work will in 

 great part consist in trawling along certain fixed lines in the several 

 areas at stated intervals throughout the year. On each occasion, 

 the contents of the trawl-net will be carefully noted, so that the 

 takes may be compared from month to month, and from year to 



firmed. 



