§ MR. WASON (Ayrshire, S.)asked the Lord Advocate, Whether his attention has been called to the large amount of damage done by beam trawlers to the nets and lines of the Ballantrae fishermen on the 27th of last month, whereby upwards of £60 worth of nets and lines were destroyed; and, what steps he intends to take for the protection of the property of these poor fishermen?
THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. J. B. BALFOUR) (&c.) Clackmannan,I have caused inquiry to be made into the matter dealt with in this Question, and I am informed that considerable damage was done to the nets and lines of the Ballantrae fishermen between Saturday the 27th and Monday the 29th ultimo, and that a number of trawling smacks were seen to pass over the spot where the nets and lines lay on the intervening Sunday. It appears that the fishermen are unable to identify the trawlers; and thus the statutory remedies provided by the Sea Fisheries Acts of 1883 and 1885, under which a prosecution may be brought against the offenders and damages recovered, cannot be put in force. The case of the fishermen is a very hard one; and it is to be regretted that the absence of evidence prevents the effective remedies now provided by statute from being available.