§ SIR WILLIAM CUNINGHAMEasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether his attention has been called to a letter from Captain Kerr, of the steamship "Gael," which appeared in The "Glasgow Herald" of the 19th instant, describing the extent to which the destruction of herring fry is carried on in the Firth of Clyde and the neighbouring waters; and whether the statements in that letter are substantially correct that the greater part of the fish so killed lately have been too small to be taken ashore, and that even of those taken ashore great numbers are thrown away as unfit for sale; and, if so, whether, considering the scarcity of herrings in that district, any steps can be taken to prevent for the future the wasteful destruction of immature fish?
§ MR. E. STANHOPEThe attention of the President of the Board of Trade has been directed to this question. I am not able to give the House any pre- 813 cise information as to the correctness of the statements contained in Captain Kerr's letter; but there can be no doubt that there is a large destruction of herring fry in the manner described. In spite of this, however, the take of herrings in this district has largely increased. The House is probably aware that the Government is about to send a small Commission to Scotland to inquire into certain complaints which have reached them as to the fisheries, and this subject will be fully investigated.