of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



39 



such communication in the case of fishing vessels are obvious, but 

 unfortunately the cost of the apparatus and its operation, together 

 with the limited space and accommodation available on board most 

 fishing craft, have prevented any general adoption by fishing vessels 

 of wireless equipment. So far as the Board are aware, no Scottish 

 fishing vessel is fitted with wireless, though it is understood that the 

 system has been adopted by some of the larger English trawlers 

 and by a few foreign fishing vessels. 



The difficulties in the way of the extension of wireless communi- 

 cation to fishing vessels have a parallel in the case of outlying 

 islands and lightships. The Board have been in communication 

 with the Postmaster-General, and understand that the problem is 

 receiving the special attention of his technical advisers, and that 

 there is a hope of its solution at any rate so far as short distance 

 communication is concerned. The matter will continue to receive 

 the consideration of the Board. 



Patent Specifications. 



Copies of all British patent specifications relating to the fishing 

 industry were obtained during the year, and of these a classified 

 index is being prepared, which when completed will be made available 

 for consultation by members of the industry. The specifications 

 embrace a wide variety of objects, such as fishing vessels and gear, 

 new ideas in fishing apparatus, fish cleaning machinery, methods for 

 preservation of fish, packages for transport, etc. 



CHAPTER VII. 



MABINE SUPERINTENDENCE. 



The superintendence of the sea fisheries of Scotland during 19 20 

 was carried out chiefly by the five Fishery Cruisers belonging to the 

 Board. The services of Naval vessels also again became available, 

 and H.M. Sloop " Lupin " carried out superintendence in the Moray 

 Firth and Shetland waters from April to November 1920, being 

 assisted for part of the time by H.M. Trawler " Thomas Jarvis." 



In November, despite the Board's strong protest, the " Lupin " 

 was withdrawn owing to the urgent need for economy in personnel, 

 and thereafter the Board had the assistance only of the trawler 

 " Thomas Jarvis " (re-named the "Exe"), which is a much slower and 

 less suitable vessel. The Board regret this weakening of the fishery 

 patrol service at a time when, owing to. the resumption of fishing 

 operations on an extensive scale, particularly by foreign trawlers in 

 the Moray Firth, there was the greater need for efficient surveillance. 



The Board's Fishery Cruisers were employed throughout the year 

 on the stations best suited to their seagoing capabilities. The 

 " Noma " was employed mostly on the North Coast and in Orkney 

 and Shetland waters, the " Freya " in the Moray Firth and on the 

 Aberdeenshire coast, the " Minna" on the West Coast, including the 



