§ MR. WEIRI beg to ask the Lord Advocate whether, in view of the destruction of fish which is said to arise from seine-net fishing on fishing banks during the spawning season, will the Sec- 324 retary for Scotland state whether there is any intention on the part of the Fishery Board to pass a by-law closing the Ballantrae spawning banks against this method of fishing during the spawning season; and, if so, will he state whether it is contemplated to include any other fishing banks in the operation of the by-law?
MR. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis)Is there any ground for believing that there is much destruction caused by the seine-net fishing?
MR. GRAHAM MURRAYI am very much inclined to think not. There is no such intention as is suggested by the Question of the honourable Member for Ross and Cromarty. I am informed by the Fishery Board that to adopt it would be equivalent to putting a stop to the herring fishing at that place entirely.