§ CAPTAIN ELLICE (St. Andrews Burghs)I beg to ask the. Secretary for Scotland whether his attention has been called to complaints made by the fishermen on the Fife coasts as to trawlers working inside the enclosed waters of the Firth of Forth and St. Andrews Bay; and, if so, whether he can make arrangements whereby the light-keepers on the Island of May might report to the police authorities any cases of illegal trawling which might come under their notice.
§ * THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. SCOTT DICKSON,) Glasgow, BridgtonSince the beginning of 1903 the Fishery Board have received eight complaints from or on behalf of Fife fishermen regarding illegal trawling in the Firth of Forth and St. Andrews Bay. In the same period a number of detections were made by the Board's cruisers, and six convictions were obtained, while one case is pending. No arrangement exists for the keepers in the May Island lighthouse reporting cases of illegal trawling to the authorities, and there are grave objections to any arrangement which, in such a situation, could be of any practical benefit.