§ 36. Mr. MUNROasked the Secretary for Scotland whether his attention has been called to the prevalence of the practice of trawling for herring, and to the consternation which it has caused in drift-net fishing circles; whether he is aware. that at a meeting, representative of the whole fishing industry, held at Yarmouth on 19th October, resolutions were passed condemning the practice referred to as inimical to the interests of the fishing industry and imperilling the national food supply, and calling for immediate intervention on the part of the Government; whether he recognises that inquiry into this matter cannot reasonably be delayed rtill the Interdepartmental Committee has reported on all the matters remitted to it; and whether, recognising the urgency of the question, he will take immediate action, and will also state what action he proposes to take?
Mr. CATHCART WASONasked the Secretary for Scotland if he has received any Report from the Scottish Fishery Board on the destruction of immature fish by the increasing practice of trawling for herrings; and if it is within the jurisdiction of the Scottish Fishery Board to impose regulations increasing the mesh of trawl nets?
39. Mr. LEICESTER HARMSWORTHasked the Secretary for Scotland whether he will cause immediate inquiry to be made into the statements as to damage to spawning grounds and amongst immature herring, being caused by the trawl method of catching the herring; and whether, in the event of the assertions to this effect being substantiated, he will, in the in terests of the preservation of a source of a large supply of cheap food for the people, introduce legislation prescribing methods of capture which shall not damage the sources of origin and supply of this fish?
The SECRETARY for SCOTLAND (Mr. McKinnon Wood)My attention has been called to the meeting at Yarmouth and to the resolutions passed at that meeting. A large deputation appointed by the convening committee of that meeting was received yesterday by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, my right hon. Friend the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture for Ireland, and myself, when the important question raised by my hon. Friends as to the destruction of immature fish and other matters, were fully put before us. Inquiry into this matter has not been delayed. For some time the "Goldseeker," which is a trawler belonging to the Fishery Board for Scotland, has been trawling for herrings for the purpose ascertaining exactly the effects of this method of fishing. I am informed that a similar investigation is being conducted by the English Board of Agriculture and Fisheries. Whatever power the Scottish Fishery Board may possess as to regulating the size of the mesh of trawl nets is insufficient to deal with this matter, because those powers are confined to the jurisdiction of the Scottish Board, and it would be useless to deal with this question except in a comprehensive way.
Mr. CATHCART WASONHas the right hon. Gentleman satisfied himself that the trawl used by this particular boat 231 is of the same mesh as the trawl used by the companies which are now trawling for herrings?
§ Mr. R. HARCOURTThe right hon. Gentleman has not answered the last part of the question—whether he will introduce legislation before the Report of the Committee is received?
Mr. McKINNON WOODThat has to be considered. As I have pointed out, it is not a matter of merely Scottish legislation; it is more comprehensive than that.