FISllIN(t STATIONS— SCOTLAND. 



333 



railways, by wliicli tliey are quickly distril)uted to the 

 large inland towns, where they are sold as fresh fish ; 

 the slight sprinkling of salt given to them before ship- 

 ment being easily got rid of when they reach the 

 market. The Glasgow and Greenock curing trade has 

 been much deranged in consequence ; the curing re- 

 turns from those ports have very much fallen off; and 

 when, as is occasionally the case, an increase is shown 

 there, it is generally due to large catches of fish in 

 Gareloch or at the mouth of the Clyde. 



Ardkossan to Dumfries— Number of Boats. 



A.D. 

 T.N. 

 A.K. 

 S.K. 

 W.N. 

 D.S. 



Ardrossan 

 Troon 

 Ayr .. 

 Stranraer 

 Wigton . . 

 Dumfries . . 



3rd Class. 



1 



4 

 10 



9 

 73 



5 



The fisheries on this remaining part of the Scotch 

 coast are not on a very large scale, or of much import- 

 ance. At the northern stations both drift and seaii- 

 trawls are used for catching herrings ; but the fisher- 

 men there work the drift-nets mostly in Lochfyne and 

 the neighbourhood, and there is not much done on 

 their own coast with the exception of a little sean- 

 trawling and looking after the white fish. We have 

 previously mentioned the banks off Ballantrae as for- 

 merly recognized spawning ground for herrings. These 

 banks are about 3 or 4 miles off the land, and a consi- 

 derable herring fishery was carried on by anchoring 

 the nets at the bottom where the fish were spawning. 

 After a time this was given iqo, for it was found that 



