50 Part III. — Twenty -fifth Annual Eepori 



struck a dense shoal, and during that month and Decem])er heavy 

 catches by drift-nets were landed from Ayr Bay and neighbourhood, 

 chiefly from shallow water, three and four fathoms. The total taken in 

 these two months was 3410 crans. In the following January only a 

 single crau appears to have been caught, but in November, 1866, the 

 herrings returned to the coast, where good catcher were obtained, 

 principally in Irvine Bay, but it did not last long. In January, 1867, 

 herrings were got inshore at Dunure, south of Ayr Bay, and in the 

 early part of November they set in, as they had done in the two 

 l)receding years, on the northern part of the coast, in Irvine Bay, but 

 they did not stay long and comparatively few were taken. In 1868 they 

 did not appear there, but in November some were caught in Loch Ryan, 

 at the southern extremity of the coast. 



In January, 1869, several boats tried along the coast between Dunure 

 and Girvan, but got nothing, and the Officer noted that from the 

 number of gannets upon the spawning banks at Ballantrae on 22nd and 

 23rd January, and the quantity of herrings found in the stomachs of cod 

 and other fish landed (the two usual signs), the fishermen were in hopes 

 of a good fishing ; but there is no further entry, and apparently no 

 fishing took place. The summer fishing this year was very successful on 

 the Ayrshire coast, the best for twelve years ; in September and October 

 a few were caught in Locli Ryan. In the spring fishing of 1870 and up 

 to 1st June, 1649 crans of herrings were taken, but there are no 

 particulars furnished as to the localities or the months. The summer 

 fishing was again successful on the Ayrshire coast, falling off towards the 

 end of July, and in August and till November takes were got in Loch 

 Ryan. In the next year the winter and spring fishing yielded 1621 

 crans up to 13th May, but no particulars are furnished; the summer 

 fishing was unsuccessful. Seines are mentioned as having been used in 

 January. It is also mentioned at the beginning of September that 

 immense shoals of herrings had been seen at the mouth of the Clyde and 

 near Ailsa Craig by passing vessels. In 1872 the catch up to 1st June 

 was 1725 crans, and the summer fishing was very poor. Herrings were 

 again taken in Loch Ryan in November. In 1873 the catch up to 1st 

 June was 2,025 crans ; the summer fishing was apparently on the 

 Ayrshire coast and successful till August ; and in September and 

 October there was a slight fishing off Ayr, and off Irvine in November. 

 In 1874 the winter and spring catch, up to 30th May, was 4890 crans; 

 the summer fishing was on the Ayrshire coast and then at the south end of 

 Arran, and the last herrings were taken at the beginning of September. 

 In 1875 the winter and spring catch increased to 9197 crans, but no 

 particulars are given ; the summer fishing on the coast was extremely 

 unproductive, such as were landed coming mostly from the other side of 

 the Firth. In 1876 the quantity taken up to 13th May was 6071 crans, 

 and the summer fishing was poor. Next year the winter and spring 

 fishing yielded 10,254 crans (up to 12th May); the summer fishing was 

 not successful, and the last herrings were landed in August 



In 1878 particulars are for the first time given of the winter and 

 spring fishing, which, as we have seen, had been increasing in the 

 previous four or five years. The total catch amounted to 17,820 crans. 

 On 5th January it is reported that herrings were abundant all along the 

 Ayrshire coast, drift nets, set-nets, and seines being used. On 19th 

 January a large shoal was said to be off Ballantrae ; in the week ended 

 2nd February, 3820 crans were landed, the best fi.shing being off Wood- 

 lands, near Girvan ; in the next week the quantity landed was 4462 

 crans, mostly taken off Turnberry Point and Girvan by seines. On 16th 



