§ MR. WEIRI beg to ask the Lord Advocate, as representing the Secretary for Scotland, whether, in view of the statment contained in the Fifteenth Annual Report of the Fishery Board for Scotland, that the practice of concealing or obliterating letters and numbers, and trawling without lights, has become very common with trawlers engaged in fishing in prescribed waters, and causes great difficulty in identifying trawlers so engaged, he will consider the expediency of taking such steps as will admit of the penalties for the concealment of numbers and fishing without lights being rendered of a more severe and deterrent nature than now imposed?
§ *THE LORD ADVOCATEI am informed by the Fishery Board that the penalty for concealing letters and numbers is fixed by the Additional Regulations under Part 2 of the Sea Fisheries Act, 1868 (31 and 32 Victoria, chap, 45), 169 which Regulations were approved by Her Majesty in Council on 26th February, 1880. The regulations in regard to lights are issued under the Acts relating to Merchant Shipping. But I must point out that these are matters falling within the jurisdiction of the Board of Trade.
§ MR. WEIRI beg to ask the Lord Advocate, having regard to the statement in the Fifteenth Annual Report of the Fishery Board for Scotland, that in the year 1896 there were four cases in which the gear of persons engaged in illegal trawling was confiscated, will he state in each case the name of the trawler so engaged, as well as the name of the master and owner, and whether a fine was imposed in each case?
§ *THE LORD ADVOCATEI am informed by the Fishery Board that the names of the trawlers whose gear was confiscated in 1896 were the Sunray, A. 669, owners Johnstone and Sherritt, Aberdeen, master, William Sims; Bosphorus, S.S.S. 278, owner J. Wilson, North Shields, master Joseph Ballard; and Commodore, G.N. 31, owner John McPherson, Arbroath, master Frederick Powderall. The gear of the last named trawler was seized on two occasions. In each of the cases referred to fines were imposed.