114 INVESTIGATIONS IN ST ANDREWS BAY, 1888. 



number of cod captured by the " Garland " was small (8), 

 showing that her trawl was not adapted for this fish. Turbot 

 had rather diminished, and there were no brill. Long-rough 

 dabs and whitings had somewhat increased, but not much. 

 If the months are taken separately, the totals are — for July 

 1834, August 1756, September 1517, October 986, December 

 126. These figures do not appear to give support to the 

 gradual accumulation-theory, but rather lean to the notion of 

 seasonal variations and effective working of the trawl. If the 

 stations are taken in series, I. furnished 808 (average 178), 

 II. 898 (average 243), III. 1919 (average 390), IV. 1623 

 (average 329), and V. 627 (average 221), that is to say, the 

 centre of the bay was most prolific, the inner line along the 

 sands being next. Former experience, however, showed that 

 none of the lines were in the most productive region, which lay 

 somewhat within Station IV., or " Scooniehill in a line with 

 the steeples " as the fishermen have it, and in shallower water. 



At every station in 1887 and 1888 an increase had taken 

 place in the number of the food-fishes when contrasted with 

 1886, yet the irregularities were noteworthy. Thus at Station I. 

 the numbers were more than doubled in 1887, but fell in 1888 

 to only 72 more (891) than what they were in 1886. At 

 Station II. the increase was still greater in 1887, viz. 221 as 

 against 1,636, falling in 1888 to 1,215. At Station III. along 

 the middle of the bay the numbers were in 1886, 651, 1887, 

 1,107, and 1888, 1954, showing a steady increase throughout. 

 Station IV. produced similar results, viz. 792, 1,484 and 1,647. 

 The outer Station, V., again was irregular, viz. 505, 1,429, and 

 1,106. But it is well to remember that 4 additional hauls 

 of the trawl were made in 1888, consequently the stations 

 yielded averages during the three years as follows ^ : — Station I. 

 163, 479, 178; Station II. 73, 409, 243; Station III. 213, 276, 

 390; Station IV. 264, 571, 329; Station V. 168, 307, 221. 

 These figures will show that the increase which marked 1887 

 was, with the exception of Station III., diminished in 1888. 

 The diminution of fishes in the majority of the Stations in 



I Calculated by dividing the total number of fishes (saleable and unsaleable) 

 on each station by the number of hauls on that station. 



