RECENT KEPORTS OF FISHERY AUTHORITIES. 369 



food-fishes generally withia the closed or open waters since the prohi- 

 bition of trawling. The average number of the food-fishes (taken 

 together) caught in each haul of the net in the years 1886-1890 was 

 2426 in the closed waters of the Forth, and 160-9 in the open waters; 

 in the closed waters of St. Andrews Bay the average was 290*2, and in 

 the open waters 1904. In the five years 1891-1895, the general 

 averages were 252"8 for the closed area of the Forth, and 1717 in the 

 open area; for the closed area of St. Andrews Bay the average was 

 184"o, and for the open area 182-7. There was thus a decrease in 

 both areas of St. Andrews Bay, and an increase in both areas of 

 the Forth. 



" 2. Among round-fishes, cod increased in numbers in all the areas, 

 closed and open. Haddocks increased in the closed and open areas 

 of the Forth, and in the open waters of St. Andrews Bay, and 

 decreased in the closed waters of Sfc. Andrews Bay. Whitings 

 decreased in abundance in all the areas, and gurnards increased in the 

 closed waters of the Forth, and decreased in the other three areas. 



" 3. Flat-fishes, taking the different kinds together, increased in the 

 open waters of St. Andrews Bay, and decreased in all the other areas. 

 Plaice decreased in all the areas to the extent of 8-7 fishes per haul of 

 the net in the closed waters of the Firth of Forth, and no less than 74'9 

 fishes per haul in the closed waters of St. Andrews Bay ; in the open 

 waters of St. Andrews Bay the decrease was 23'1 fishes per haul, and in 

 the open waters of the Forth, where they are scarcer, 0'6 per haul. 

 Lemon soles, in like manner, diminished in abundance in all the areas — 

 to the extent of 8 '4 fishes per haul of the net in the closed area of the 

 Firth. In the other areas, where they are much scarcer, the decrease 

 was less striking. These are the most important and valuable of the 

 flat-fishes obtained : turbot and brill were not caught in sufficient 

 numbers to enable an average to be usefully calculated. On the other 

 hand, the common and abundant dabs, commercially of little importance, 

 increased rather than diminished in numbers. The common dab 

 increased in the closed area of the Forth by 8 "9 fishes per haul, and 

 in the open area of St. Andrews Bay by 29"3 fishes per haul ; they 

 decreased in the closed area of St. Andrews Bay by 20"3 fishes pei 

 haul, and in the open waters of the Forth by 2"1 per haul. The long 

 rough dab increased in all the areas, except in the closed area of 

 St. Andrews Bay, where they are very scarce, the decrease there being 

 0*5 per haul. In the closed waters of the Forth their increase amounted 

 to 62 fishes per haul, and in the open waters to 4*9 per haul ; in 

 the open waters of St. Andrews Bay the increase was 3"3 per haul. 



'"These facts in connection with the relative abundance of flat-fishes 

 are of importance. On the face of it, it appears strange that there 



