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Appendices to Thirty-seventh Annual Report 



essential to the proper conduct of such investigations, as would also 

 be the provision of an up-to-date laboratory and museum. 



Prior to the war interim advances were made from the Develop- 

 ment Fund for the purpose of fishery research, but the Development 

 Commissioners, while expressing general approval of the adoption of 

 a comprehensive scheme of research in British waters, expressed 

 their unwillingness to recommend large advances for this purpose 

 until a joint scheme could be laid before them, agreed upon between 

 the three Fishery Departments concerned, for general research, coupled 

 with arrangements for co-operation between the Departments, which 

 would avoid unnecessary duplication of work, and at the same time 

 secure economy. In order to avoid duplication and to secure efficiency 

 it was proposed that regular periodic conferences between the repre- 

 sentatives of the Fishery Departments should take place at fixed dates, 

 and that such conferences should be held, as circumstances permitted, 

 in different localities in England, Scotland, and Ireland, opportunities 

 being given on these occasions to representatives of the fishing and 

 fish-curing industries to lay their views before the representatives of the 

 Departments. Provision was also to be made for the utilisation of the 

 services of suitable scientific institutions for the prosecution of part of 

 the work to be undertaken, and persons working on behalf of the State 

 at such institutions were to be invited to such of the conferences as 

 might be concerned with the particular investigations committed to 

 their charge. 



The importance of hydrographical observations is fully recognised, 

 and the view (which was also the view of the International Council 

 for the Exploration of the Sea) is accepted that these investigations 

 should be carried as far as possible into Atlantic waters, and should 

 be linked up, so far as circumstances permit, with observations 

 made on the western side of the Atlantic by the United States of 

 America and others. 



It is not thought desirable in this Memorandum to enter into 

 discussion of details of expenditure : four items, however, may be 

 briefly remarked upon : — 



1. (a) Industrial Laboratory. — The proposal made to undertake 

 investigations which have a more direct bearing on the solution of 

 problems of a practical nature, and which will give to the trade in every 

 branch some more immediate practical hints and benefits from scientific 

 investigations than have hitherto been possible is of the utmost im- 

 portance. The curing industry has attained to a position of great 

 importance notwithstanding the fact that it has had to depend largely 

 on mere rule-of -thumb methods, but difficult questions frequently crop 

 up which call for the services of skilled investigators in their solution. 



Apart from such special investigations as may be entrusted to 

 outside experts of eminence in chemistry and bacteriology, it is felt that 

 it is most essential that at least one investigator should be appointed in 

 Scotland who would be in constant and daily touch with the trade — 

 with the markets, yards, curing houses, etc., and with the various 

 methods and processes. • Such knowledge would be indispensable, for 

 instance, in the investigation of certain diseases which attack preserved 

 fish. 



Investigations which will tend to the better transport and pre- 

 servation of fish will not only be beneficial to the industry, but will 



