_ 113 — APPENDIX .T: SCOTLAND 



The west coast fishery during this period is also greater in the southern than in the 

 northern waters, the main fishing taking place in the Firth of Clyde and Loch Fyne. 



Within recent years, an increasing number of Scottish boats have proceeded to the 

 herring fisheries off the east coast of England, after the close of the Scottish season in the 

 autumn, and to those off the Irish coasts in the spring. It may be said, that at some 

 place or another the Scottish boats are engaged in the herring fishing all the year round. 



The sprat and sparling fisheries are entirely estuarine and are pursued chiefly on the sp'"'' sparung 



° ■ ■'and Mackerel 



east coast, only a small proportion, of the sparling, being taken on the west coast. The 

 mackerel, on the other hand, is of greater importance, as a rule, on the west coast than on 

 the east. There is little or no regular fishing for this species, the fish being mostly taken 

 in herring nets. 



With regard to the remaining species, i. e. the so-called round fish and flat fish, taken Tra^vl ana une 

 as a whole, it is of interest that the Scottish statistics are so arranged, that the different 

 modes of fishing, by lines and trawl, are distinguished. In the introductions to the Eeports 

 for 1901 and 1902, a general comparison is made between these different forms of fishing. 

 It is shown, that in general the trawl fishery has greatly increased, whilst the line fishery 

 has decreased. In 1891, the trawl brought in less than one fifth of the catch of the lines, 

 but in 1901 the position was almost reversed, the trawl catching more than double the 

 lines. As the value of the trawled fish, on the whole, has always been much higher than 

 that given for the fish caught by lines, the change of place has been even more conspicuous 

 with regard to values. 



The decline of the line fishing, however, is not universal. It is most marked in the 

 case of the round fish and most of all for the haddock. The quantities of cod, saithe, 

 ling and whiting taken by lines have also been decreasing rapidly, but the quantities of 

 tusk and conger eel, which are almost entirely taken by lines, have rather increased. 

 This would indicate that the line-fishing for those species which show a decrease, has not 

 been so much pursued of recent years, and it is stated in the Keport that the successful 

 herring-fishery is accountable for this, in great part at any rate. The fishermen who 

 formerly engaged in the line-fishing for cod, haddock etc. now do so to a much less 

 degree. 



With regard to flat fish, however, it cannot be said that the decrease in the returns of 

 the line-fishing is so apparent. Taking all the species together, the quantities landed have 

 remained very constant since 1891. On the other hand, the quantities of these species 

 landed by the trawlers have almost doubled in the same time. The halibut and skate are 

 mostly taken by the liners, whilst the turbot and the lemon-sole are almost entirely taken 

 by the trawlers. 



Apart from the herring, the haddock is the most important species for Scotland, con- """'"' '''"'' 

 tributing from 40 to 45 "/o of the total quantity and value of all fish taken by line and 

 trawl. As shown in the table, the quantities taken have greatly increased since 1886, and 

 this increase has been going on since the present system of taking statistics was begun 

 (1883). Of the total quantity of haddock, about 60 "/o is annually consumed in the cured 

 (smoked) state. 



The codfishery, which comes second to the haddock-fishery, reached a maximum in 

 the years 1896—97, and the lowest minimum for a long period of years in 1900. About 



Appendix J X5 



