of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



23 



appeal with special force to those directly interested in its welfare. 

 Among the subjects, which may be mentioned as requiring investiga- 

 tion by chemists and bacteriologists, the following are cited : — 



Best methods of preserving fish temporarily on their way from the 

 grounds to the market. 



Preservation of fish for longer periods — embracing their transit 

 to foreign countries and their consumption some time sub- 

 sequently. 



Analysis of salts used in curing. 



Investigation into deterioration to which cured fish is subject, 



such as " pink cod." 

 Food values of the different kinds of fish at different stages, etc. 

 Analysis of fish oils and utilisation of by-products. 

 Materials used for fishing gear and materials used for preservation 



ot same. 



The investigations proposed will be useful not only to the fishing 

 industry, but also to the agricultural industry, which may be expected 

 to benefit by the result of hydrographical observations and by any 

 development and improvement which it may be possible to foster 

 of those by-products of the fishing industry, such as fish-meals, oils, 

 manures, etc., which can be used with advantage for the rearing and 

 fattening of stock and the cultivation of the soil. Provision should 

 therefore be made to enable the Board to conduct effectively investi- 

 gations which they hold to be urgently necessary in the interests of 

 industries of still growing importance both by reason of the capital 

 and labour employed by them, and of the contribution they make 

 to the food supply of the nation. 



It is reported that in America President Wilson has recently 

 " authorised an allotment of £25,000 to the Bureau of Fisheries for the 

 establishment of a fisheries industrial laboratory, and that the saving 

 of a large quantity of fish for food and educating the people to the 

 various fishery products are expected to result from the laboratory's 

 work." The sum in question is, however, only a small part of the total 

 sums spent on fishery research in North America. 



2. (b) New Research Steamer* — The provision for the West Coast 

 of a large and powerful research steamer, capable of remaining 

 at sea in practically all weathers, with proper accommodation and 

 equipment for the Scientific Staff, is essential to enable the Board 

 to undertake exhaustive investigations as to the physical and bio- 

 logical conditions obtaining in the more remote areas which probably 

 have a vital bearing on the conditions of the fisheries generally. Such 

 a vessel would furthermore be directly employed, from time to time, 

 in surveying work, with a view to the discovery of new fishing banks. 



3. (c) Provision of Motor Boats. — Motor boats are necessary for 

 investigations in shallow coastal and estuarine waters which cannot be 

 approached by a sea-going research vessel. Such investigations have 

 an important bearing upon the investigations as a whole, especially 

 as regards investigations of the life-history of flat-fish, the young 

 stages of which are to be found in close proximity to the coast, and 

 investigations of the herring, the fry of which congregate largely in 



* An Admiralty trawler of the " Mersey " class would probably be found most 

 suitable for this purpose. 



