MUSSEL BAIT — SUPPLY AND DEMAND 7 



Mr. James Johnston of Montrose before the 

 Mussel Commission,"^ 



He says : ' It is a fact that the Ferry den 

 fishermen were offered the sands of Dun at the 

 beginning of the century at £^ per annum, and 

 two dozen haddocks per week, and one cod-fish ; 

 but bait was so cheap at that time that the 

 fishermen did not think it worth their while to 

 accept the offer. These sands are now let to our 

 firm for ;^5oo a year.'' 



Fishery Bills have recently been introduced, 

 containing most valuable clauses for the express 

 purpose of bettering the mussel supply ; but, from 

 one reason or another, these have met with mis- 

 fortune. 



On account of the immense fertility of the 

 mussel, however, we are still able to say that, on 

 many of the beds left entirely without protection, 

 a nucleus remains. With properly established 

 conditions of regulation and development, we 

 have still small centres of life which, if cultivated, 

 could furnish an ample supply of this much- 

 needed bait. 



It is true that while the lack of bait has been 



^ Report of the Committee on the Conditio ft of the Scottish Mussel 

 and Bait Beds, 1889, p. 95. 



