§ MR. ROWNTREE (Scarborough)asked the President of the Board of Trade, If the Government will this Session introduce a Bill to give to the Sea Fishery Department powers to stop beam trawling within territorial waters on the English coast, where it is desirable so to do, similar to the powers already enjoyed by the Fishery Boards of Scotland and of Ireland, and recommended for adoption in England by the Parliamentary Commission of 1878, and again by the Royal Commission of 1885?
§ THE PRESIDENT (Sir MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH) (Bristol, W.)This subject is only part of the general question of the regulation of fisheries within territorial waters, a scheme for which is now under the consideration of the Board of Trade. But as such a scheme would involve the creation of Local Authorities for the purpose, I think it would be premature to introduce a Bill at the present moment.
§ MR. ESSLEMONT (Aberdeen, E.)asked the Lord Advocate whether a difference of opinion did not exist in Scotland as to the powers of the Scottish Fishery Board to stop beam trawling within territorial waters; and, whether the right hon. Gentleman would make an inquiry so as to give a decisive opinion on the subject?
§ THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. J. H. A. MACDONALD) (Edinburgh and St. Andrew's Universities)Undoubtedly there is no power to close any fishing within the territorial waters in Scotland, except where the authority is satisfied that fishing by beam trawling there is injurious to some other mode of fishing in that part of the water; and hitherto, as I understand, nothing has been done in the way of closing up any fishings permanently. They have only been closed by way of experiment, in order to see whether it was injurious.
§ MR. ESSLEMONTasked, if the Lord Advocate held that the Fishery Board had power to stop fishing within the 1487 whole territorial waters at one and the same time?
§ MR. J. H. A. MACDONALDreplied, that he was not prepared to give a legal opinion on such very short notice.