§ 44. Captain WARINGasked the Secretary for Scotland whether he is aware that on the night of 4th June, near Wick, a trawler ran across the nets of the motor boat BY. 430, doing damage to the extent of £40, and that the skipper has been unable to obtain any redress; and what steps does he propose to take to protect the drift-net fishermen from the depredations of trawlers in inshore waters?
§ 52. Mr. MUNROasked the Secretary for Scotland whether his attention has been called to the case of the boat "Mafeking," whose nets were destroyed by a trawler on the night of the 4th June off Wick; whether the skipper and agents called both upon the local fishery officer and the Customs authorities with the view of their transmitting information regarding the incident to the Fishery Board; whether these officials refused to entertain or transmit the complaint so made; and what action he proposes to take in the matter?
Mr. McKINNON WOODThe skipper of the boat "Mafeking," B.F. 430, reported the loss of his nets to the fishery officer at Wick and attributed the damage to a foreign trawler. Unfortunately he was unable to identify the trawler, and consequently no redress can be obtained. His Majesty's Ship "Ringdove" and the fishery cruisers "Norna" and "Brenda" are now paying frequent visits to the Moray Firth, and the only trawlers now working there are the four or five Grimsby-Norwegian vessels.