REMARKS ON TRAWLING. 331 
Besides the areas just mentioned, some trawlers proceed to 
Blacksod Bay, off County Mayo, on the West coast of Ireland, for 
soles and turbot, while in February and March others go to ground 
20 to 40 miles off Scarborough, where, perhaps, 20 score of cod 
are caught in a night. Some, again, work on the turbot-ground, 
from 80 to 90 miles off Aberdeen, and others find on the Dogger 
Bank catches of from 18 to 20 boxes of plaice. 
When the trawlers from Granton and Leith are considered, it is 
found that, notwithstanding the closure of the Forth (for 3 miles 
beyond the Island of May), these ships have increased in number, 
have been improved in equipment, and have been able to overcome 
the difficulties with which they were handicapped—in comparison 
with the liners. In the case of the General Steam Fishing Com- 
pany’s ships, and probably in others, however, very definite instruc- 
tions—based on carefully-recorded data, compiled during the last 
twelve years—are issued to each captain as to the distance to be 
traversed (by the log), and the direction on every occasion. No 
haphazard selection of fishing-grounds is made, Thus in December, 
besides the ordinary fishes, numerous cuttle-fishes (so valuable for 
bait) are procured off the Isle of May. In January, February, 
March, and April they work from 5 to 10 miles §8.K. of the Isle of 
May, viz. more or less on the grounds frequented in 1884. In 
March and April the cod are captured, as before, in considerable 
numbers as they congregate during the spawning season, and in 
the earlier months as they follow the herrings. In June, July, 
August, September, October, and November they take to the more 
distant grounds off the Forth—about 40 miles H. by N.E. 
The opinions somewhat freely expressed by some in 1884 as to 
the decline of the trawling industry in the Forth and the adjoining 
area—notwithstanding all the advantages of a free area from inshore 
to offshore then possessed—do not seem to have been borne out by 
further experience. EHven with the entire area of the Forth and 
St. Andrew’s Bay closed, these vessels, now considerably increased 
in numbers, have found fishing profitable on the more distant grounds. 
They work on a certain area, either by means of a flag-buoy or 
otherwise, and strictly in accordance with the instructions given from 
headquarters. If the captures are observed to be decreasing, either 
from the thinning of the fishes or their being scattered, they change 
ground, as, indeed, was very noticeable in 1884, returning after an 
interval to the same area, to find that an increase has taken place. 
In connection with this fillmg up of areas over which trawling has 
been assiduously carried on, it is an interesting fact that the local 
boats—from 12 to 20 or more in number—found for many years 
that, on the whole, their best ground in St. Andrew’s Bay was a 
