110 FISHERY board's OPINION OF RESULTS, 1886. 



They also made a comparison of the small (immature) fishes 

 captured in the trawl of the " Garland," and by the liners at 

 Buckhaven. Their statistics seem to be in need of explanation, 

 but taking them at their own computation they consider that 

 for every nine haddocks caught by the hook twelve are captured 

 by the trawl. They did not add, however, that everything 

 depends on the nature of the area. 



An endeavour was made to utilize the statistics kept by 

 about forty line-boats between Leith and Aberdeen for the 

 purpose of determining whether any change had ensued since 

 the closure. So far as can be ascertained from a perusal of the 

 remarks on this subject no salient feature can be found, except 

 that small haddocks formed a large proportion of the captures 

 between July and December. 



Further, a comparison is made of the amount of fishes ex- 

 clusive of sprats, mackerel, and herrings landed respectively by 

 the line-fishermen and beam-trawlers. In 1887 the average 

 monthly amount of fishes captured by the liners was 3,500 tons, 

 a far larger amount than by beam-trawlers. In the northern 

 counties it was 1,925 tons, while that of the trawlers was 

 275 tons. If herrings, mackerel and sprats are included the 

 average amount for the lines is 13,100 tons per month. In the 

 same way the average monthly catch of flat fishes by liners was 

 200 tons, while the trawlers landed 300 tons. 



The reporters in their summary state that the results of the 

 " Garland's " investigations, as set forth in a special report to the 

 Secretary for Scotland, " make it clear that the suspension of 

 trawling has been followed by a great increase in the numbers 

 of the fish within the protected areas both in the Frith of Forth 

 and St Andrews Bay." " The increase has been shared by the 

 round fish as well as by the flat ; but, as was naturally to be 

 expected, the augmentation has been proportionately far greater 

 in the case of the less migratory flat fish." " In the Frith of 

 Forth the more valuable of these, such as the lemon sole, have 

 more than doubled in numbers since trawling was prohibited, 

 and a similar result has occurred, and to a still greater extent, 

 in St Andrews Bay, where the increase has been very marked." 

 They also cite the case of the estuary of the Clyde as an 



