112 INVESTIGATIONS IN ST ANDREWS BAY, 1887. 



The latter alone in such an exceptional year as 1887 seems to 

 be sufficient to account for the increase, as will subsequently be 

 shown. On the other hand, a very large number of plaice were 

 removed from the bay by the lines of the fishermen, who, being 

 undisturbed, kept relays of lines (often three sets) at work by 

 day and night in the early part of the year. They observed, 

 with truth, that already (March) they were obtaining better 

 takes of flat fishes, and stated their belief that in a few years 

 the inshore grounds would regain their former richness, thereby 

 meaning that the larger fishes, which they affirmed they 

 formerly caught, would again be abundant. It is doubtful, 

 however, if due attention was given to the fact that they ob- 

 tained the larger supplies by special exertions (even collecting 

 lob-worms by torchlight), exertions which they had been pre- 

 vented from employing, for at least twenty years, and then the 

 maximum for each boat was two sets of lines. 



In surveying the stations where the saleable fishes were 

 captured, the inner (Station IV.) skirting the sandy beach, 

 while furnishing only 24 plaice in May, gave no less than 581 

 in June, 55 in August and none in October. The unsaleable 

 food-fishes were grouped differently, none occurring on Station 

 lY. in May and June, while in August and October there were 

 236 and 757 respectively. The distribution of the dabs was 

 more equable, but still with a tendency in the unsaleable to 

 increase in June and August, whereas the saleable were most 

 numerous in May. It is not easy to formulate the principle, if 

 any, on which these variations rest. It might be said that in 

 May the smaller plaice of the season had not had time to affect 

 the captures, being too far inshore and too small — becoming 

 greatly in evidence in June, August and October, but the 

 irregularity of the figures forbid such conclusions. Nor does a 

 consideration of the figures suggest that, as the reporters for 

 the Fishery Board state, the great increase in 1887 is most 

 marked on the inner stations, except in the case of dabs. The 

 increase in the number of lemon-dabs in the outer Station (Y.) 

 is probably due to its being nearer their adult habitat. In 

 regard to the other fishes, the increase in grey skate was 

 marked, and saleable, and especially the unsaleable, haddocks 



