of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 1 1 



These figures indicate that the average abundance of all kinds of 

 fish, taken together, in the closed waters, in the months named, 

 was much the same in the period 1886-1890, as in 1900-1901, 

 while there was an increase in the second period. The average for 

 fiat-fishes is greater in each successive period, and greater in each 

 month of the successive periods, with the exception of September 

 in the last. There is not the same uniformity in the average catch 

 of round fishes, a circumstance due for the most part to the great 

 fluctuations in the numbers of haddocks captured. 



The statistics relating to the flat-fishes show a general uniformity 

 in the variations, indicating a relative falling off in the abundance 

 of plaice within the closed waters, and an increase in the number 

 of dabs. The average number of plaice caught per haul of the net 

 in the corresponding months of the three periods was 56*4 for the 

 first period, 51 '8 for the second, and 46-3 for the third. The per- 

 centage proportions of plaice among the total flat-fishes in the 

 three periods were respectively 42*4, 34"3, and 29"5. Both the 

 averages and the percentages therefore show a progressive decline 

 in the abundance of plaice within the closed waters. The averages 

 and percentages of lemon soles are less uniform. The average in 

 the first period was 22, in the second period 19, and in the third 

 20 ; showing therefore a decrease from the first to the second, and 

 a slight increase from the second to the third. The respective 

 percentages were 16'5, 12-6, and 12"7. 



The corresponding figures referring to common dabs show an 

 increase from one period to another, but the increase from the 

 second to the third period is comparatively slight. The respective 

 averages for the three periods are 36"5, 52-3, and 53"8, and the per- 

 centages 27 0, 34-6, and 34-3. The averages and percentages of 

 long rough dabs show a progressive increase from one period to 

 another. In the first period the average number per haul of the 

 net was 16"2, in the second period it was 25"2, and in the third 

 period 33-5 : the corresponding percentages being 12'2. 16-7, and 

 21-3 



The total number of other flat-fishes taken was too small to 

 make their averages of any value, viz., 174 witches, 13 turbot, 8 

 brill, and 283 flounders ; the averages for the witches in the three 

 periods were O'O, 0-9, and 15, and for the flounders 0-8, TO and 1-0. 



The renewed investigation concerning the change in abundance 

 of the various species within the closed waters confirms the con- 

 clusions reached in 1896 on this subject. It was then stated that 

 " it appears to be fairly well proved that there^ has been a diminu- 

 tion of the more important flat-fishes in the closed waters, instead 

 of an increase, as was anticipated," and that, on the other hand, the 

 numbers of common dabs and long rough dabs had increased, and 

 had to a certain extent taken the place of the more valuable kinds. 

 The above figures, while they show these changes between the first 

 and the second periods, also indicate that a balance has not yet 

 been obtained, but that the decrease in plaice and the increase in 

 long rough dabs still appear to continue within the closed waters. 

 The increase in common dabs, as indicated by the recent hauls, is 

 less marked, while lemon soles appear to have rather increased ; 

 and it may be that in the case of these species a balance has been, 

 or is beincr established. 



