130 ST ANDREWS BAY. SUMMARY. 



of local trawlers had swept the bay, was succeeded, after an 

 interval of four years by even smaller numbers for three con- 

 secutive years, and a fourth year by the same figure. Further, 

 as if to dispose of the view that the general over-fishing, or the 

 detrimental influence of free fishing, in the open waters, had 

 slowly sapped the supply, the last year of the " Garland's " work 

 had a very high average. The highest of all the averages was 

 in 1887 — the year after the closure, the next in 1895. Again, 

 the comparatively high average of 288 in 1890 was followed by 

 low averages for three years. The reporter in his summary^ of 

 the results of the '' Garland's " work considers that " the imme- 

 diate consequence of the cessation of trawling appears to have 

 been an increase in the abundance of flat fishes within the 

 enclosed areas;" and, further, "the fact that this increase was 

 not only not maintained, but that a progressive decrease in 

 plaice and lemon soles occurred subsequently, indicates another 

 influence, namely, excessive trawling on the offshore grounds 

 where these fishes spawn." 



It should be borne in mind that the work in 1887 was done 

 during productive months, viz., in May, June, August and 

 October, a fact which alone would considerably add to the 

 percentage, since not only flat fishes, but gurnards and other 

 forms would swell the lists. No winter months increased the 

 number of hauls, while it diminished the percentage of captures. 

 Nowhere in the tables is such a combination of favourable con- 

 ditions to be found, and consequently in no year is the average 

 so high. 



Much has been said about the disappearance of the older 

 and larger plaice which were so common about the period when 

 trawling began, but surely no other result could have been 

 expected. Any method of fishing persistently and effectively 

 carried out on an area where flat fishes occur has a tendency to 

 remove the larger examples of such fishes as plaice, turbot, 

 halibut and other forms, but this does not mean that the race is 

 extinguished. The "practical man" forgets that there are 

 other sizes of plaice, that are, for instance, just as useful to 

 mankind as the 20-inch plaice. He forgets that year by year, 

 1 14th Report, iii. p. 148. 



