of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



59 



half-way between Girvan and the Ballantrae Eanks; they were taken 

 mostly by seines, and were very small herrings, from eight to ten inches 

 in length, bringing only a few shillings a cran. At the beginning of 

 March the banks were again tried, but no herrings were taken. On 

 14th March 150 crans were got on the banks, spent and ripe, but so 

 small that the greater part were unsaleable, and were thrown back into 

 the sea. The fishing closed on 14th March, the total for the season 

 being 344 crans, of wliich 194 were taken in February and 150 in 

 March. No herrings were got in November or December. 



In 1897 the first herrings were taken on the Ballantrae Banks in the 

 week ended 20th February, those caught by seines being small and un- 

 marketable. No herrings were taken in the closing months of the year. 



In 1898 the winter and spring fishing was again a failure, only 30 

 crans being landed, but the officer gives no infoimation as to the place of 

 fishing, or when they were taken. No herrings were landed after 

 September. 



In 1899 the winter fishing was better, the total being 1247 crans, but 

 no particulars are given. There was a summer fishing of small impor- 

 tance on the Ayrshire coast, and in November and part of December 

 herrings were got in Loch Ryan and neighbourhood. 



In 1900 the first herrings were landed in the week ended 17th 

 February, and they were taken rather to the south of Ballantrae 

 Banks. During the rest of the month and in March herrings 

 were taken of very fair quality, both by trammels and .«eines ; in the week 

 ended 10th, 2912 crans were secured on the banks, of which 1746 were 

 taken by the seiners and 1166 by trammel-nets. None were taken after 

 this, and the total for the season amounted to 4113 crans, thus 

 apportioned : — 



December. January. February. March. 



190 — 449 3,664 



In December a few herrings were again taken in Loch Ryan, but only a 

 few crans. 



In 1901 no herrings were landed till the week ended 9th February. 

 The banks had been visited, but there was no " appearance " of herrings ; 

 on the 8th, 100 crans were secured near Turnberry. In the week ended 

 16th, 1641 crans were got by seines on the outer edge of the Ballantrae 

 Banks, and the fishing continued on the banks till the week ended 

 23rd March. The total for the season amounted to 9395 crans, as 

 follows : — 



No herrings were taken in December. 



