§ MR. O'SHAUGHNESSYasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, Whether any decision has yet been come to on the subject of the inquiry held in 1872, as to the use of trawling vessels in Galway Bay; if not, whether he can explain the cause of the great delay in arriving at such a decision; and, whether he will impress on the fishing authorities the propriety of deciding the question without further delay?
§ SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACHSir, I think I informed the hon. Member, at an early period of the Session, of the reasons for the delay in arriving at a decision on the subject of the inquiry 1172 held in 1872 as to trawling in Galway Bay. The result of that inquiry was, that experiments were directed to be made in every month in the year as to the effect produced by trawling on the fisheries in the bay. These experiments were entrusted to the Coastguard, and were conducted in several months of the years 1872 and 1873, but were then discontinued, the officer conducting them being removed. His successor was understood to have resumed them, but he became of unsound mind, and on his leaving the district no record could be found of what he had done. The experiments were again resumed in 1875, and August is now the only month of the year in which they have not been carried out. It is expected that they will then be completed, and the Inspectors will be in a position to make a decision on the matter. In the meantime, fishing of every description is being carried on without interference.