viii 
Tenth Annual Report of the 
In addition a sum of £2500 was applied in 1886-87 for the 
purchase of the steamer ' Garland/ and £500 per annum allowed 
for its maintenance, which was increased first to £900, and after- 
wards to £1200 a year. 
Absence of When the Board commenced its operations, it was a new 
led^Sgarding departure in State administration. The Fisheries Commission of the 
fisheries! ° United States was only established in 1871, and we were without 
the experience which has since been gained in America, Germany, 
Norway, and other countries bordering on the North Sea. The 
directions of the Act of Parliament creating the Board were very 
general. We were appointed to ' take cognisance of everything 
' relating to the coast and deep sea fisheries of Scotland, and take 
1 such measures for their improvement as the funds under their 
' administration not otherwise appropriated might admit of, but 
' without interfering with any existing authority or private right.' 
Hitherto the fisheries had been practically left to take card of 
themselves. During the administration of the old Board, which 
had existed from 1809 under the name of the Commissioners of 
the British White Herring Fishery, scientific investigations had 
indeed been made from time to time into special points, such as 
the spawning of the herring, the capture of immature herrings by 
sprat fishermen, and the action of the beam trawl on herring 
spawning-beds. These inquiries were, however, limited both in 
character and extent, and were merely incidental to certain questions 
prominent for the time being. The absence of definite scientific 
knowledge relating to the fisheries had been felt and commented 
upon by Royal Commissions appointed to enquire into fishing 
questions; and when the new Board came into existence in 1882, 
it was found that, without further information as to the habits 
and life-history of the food fishes, it would be impossible to submit 
satisfactory reports to Parliament either as. to the improvement or 
the regulation of the fisheries. It was accordingly resolved that 
scientific investigations should be instituted under a Committee, 
consisting of Professor Ewart (Convener), Sir James Maitland, 
Sheriff Forbes Irvine, and Mr Maxtone Graham. This Committee 
acted until 1886, when it was dissolved ; and, in 1887, another Com- 
mittee was formed, consisting of Professor Ewart (Convener), Sir 
James Maitland, Mr William Boyd, and Mr W. Anderson Smith, 
which continued till 1889. Since the dissolution of this Committee 
the scientific work has been under the immediate control of the 
Board, with Dr T. Wemyss Fulton as scientific secretary, but all the 
members feel, and desire specially to acknowledge, the valuable 
assistance which has been rendered by Sir James Maitland and 
Mr Anderson Smith. 
Laboratories Before describing the investigations undertaken, a word must be 
said as to the means which have been at the disposal of the Board. 
In 1884 a marine laboratory was established at St. Andrews, 
with the co-operation of Professor M c Intosh, F.R.S., who was at the 
time engaged in making scientific investigations for the Eoyal 
Commission on Beam Trawling, under the late Lord Dalhousie ; and 
this laboratory has continued in active operation ever since under 
Professor M'Intosh's charge. In 1885 another laboratory was 
established. 
