Note.—1st class = steamers of at least 15 tons gross tonnage, and other boats of at least 15 tons registered tonnage (in Scotland exceeding 30 ft. keel).

2nd class = less than 15 tons tonnage, or from 18 to 30 ft. keel.

Table IX.—Number (A) of Men and Boys constantly employed and (B) of other Persons occasionally employed in Fishing.

Year. England and
Wales.		 Scotland. Ireland. United
Kingdom.
A. B. A. B. A. B. A. B.
1890 32,503 9312 34,319 20,829 10,121 13,981 78,450 46,337
1895 32,229 8995 31,044 12,329 8,692 18,218 73,090 41,230
1900 31,589 7994 27,288 10,288 8,677 18,982 68,708 37,814
1905 34,318 8132 29,064 10,487 8,744 17,079 73,293 36,131

Table X.—Catch and Value of Line-caught and Trawled Fish landed in Scotland.

Year. Line-caught Fish. Trawled Fish.
Cwt. Cwt.
1890 1,577,299 £591,059 291,812 £203,620
1895 1,479,654 548,629 531,695 291,165
1900 757,416 371,173 1,077,082 703,427
1905 735,654 348,610 1,745,431 948,117

In 1893 a select committee of the House of Commons took evidence as to the expediency of adopting measures for the preservation of the sea-fisheries in the seas around the British Islands, with especial reference to the alleged wasteful destruction of under-sized fish. They recommended the adoption of a size-limit of 8 in. for soles and plaice, and 10 in. for turbot and brill, below which the sale of these fishes should be prohibited, on the ground that these limits would approximate to those already adopted by foreign countries.

In 1899 the Agriculture and Technical Instruction (Ireland) Act transferred the powers and duties of the inspectors of Irish fisheries to the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland. The department is provided with a steam cruiser, the “Helga,” 375 tons, fully equipped for fishery research, as well as with a floating marine laboratory. Mr Holt, formerly of the Marine Biological Association, was appointed to take charge of the scientific work.

In 1900 another select committee of the House of Commons was appointed to consider and take evidence on the proposals of the Sea Fisheries Bill, which had been framed in accordance with the recommendations of the select committee of 1893, but had failed to pass in several sessions of parliament. Owing to marked divergencies of opinion on the question whether the low size-limits proposed would be effectual in keeping the trawlers from working on the grounds where small fish congregated, the committee reported against the bill, and urged the immediate equipment of the government departments with means for undertaking the necessary scientific investigations.

In 1901 an international conference of representatives of all the countries bordering upon the North and Baltic Seas met at Christiania to revise proposals which had been drafted at Stockholm in 1899 for a scientific exploration of these waters in the interest of the fisheries, to be undertaken concurrently by all the participating countries. The British government was represented by Sir Colin Scott-Moncrieff, K.C.M G., with Professor D’Arcy W. Thompson, Mr (afterwards Professor) W. Garstang and Dr H.R. Mill as advisers. The proposals were subsequently accepted, with some restrictions, and an international council of management was appointed by the participating governments. The Fishery Board for Scotland and the Marine Biological Association from England were commissioned in 1902 to carry out the work at sea allotted to Great Britain, and a special grant of £5500 per annum was made to each body by the Treasury for this purpose. Two steamers, the “Huxley” and the “Goldseeker,” were chartered for the investigations and began work in 1902 and 1903 from Lowestoft and Aberdeen respectively. Reports on the work of the first five years were published in 1909.