INVESTIGATIONS IN ST ANDREWS BAY, 1888—89. 115 



1888 again demonstrates the uncertainty of fishing and of 

 statistics, at least as regards preconceived views. The re- 

 porters observe, with truth, that the diminution in 1888 was 

 chiefly due to the flat fishes, and it is found that the average 

 catch per shot in 1887 was for plaice 144, and for dabs 124, 

 whereas in 1888 the averages are 106 and 94 respectively. The 

 meagre captures of dabs and plaice at the outer station (V.) in 

 1886 gave the reporters a basis for remarking that here round 

 fishes had diminished but flat fishes had increased in 1888. 

 The uncertainty of such observations, however, must always be 

 borne in mind. 



If we glance at two important fishes, viz. turbot and brill 

 daring the three years, and taking the saleable and unsaleable 

 together, it is found that 13 turbot and 2 brill were got in 

 1887, 8 turbot in 1888 but no brill, while the first year (1886) 

 only 2 turbot and 1 brill were procured. These small figures 

 follow the rule of the larger, but give no certainty. 



The influence of a month like December in reducing the 

 percentage per haul of the fishes is clearly shown in 1888, for 

 if we deduct the small number procured in this month (a total 

 of only 157 in five hauls) from the result, and take the average 

 of the rest it is found that the remaining 20 hauls give no less 

 than 334 per haul, a result only a very little behind the con- 

 dition in 1887 (389 per haul). The bearing of such facts will 

 be clearly shown in subsequent pages. 



This year the Board sanctioned the testing of the area in 

 St Andrews Bay by a powerful steam-trawler^ in February ; 

 but no systematic table of results is given. Five boxes of 

 plaice, the largest specimen 17 inches and the average about 

 13 inches, and a few other fishes were obtained in one haul, and 

 about two boxes of mixed fishes in a second haul of 4 hours. 

 The lines taken in this case do not seem to have been pro- 

 ductive. At least a small fishing-boat has not unfrequently 

 brought to shore a larger amount as the produce of its lines. 



In 1889 a considerable increase in the number of the hauls 

 of the trawl took place, viz. nine more than in 1888, making a 

 total of thirty- four. These gave 6,010 saleable fishes and 1020 

 1 The " Southesk," belonging to Messrs Johnston, of Montrose. 



8—2 



