192 INVESTIGATIONS IN MORAY FRITH, 1892 — 1893. 



These stations extended the points for observation more 

 directly into the Moray Frith. 



Thirty-two hauls of the " Garland's " ordinary trawl were 

 made in 1893, and six with a shrimp net. It has been 

 thought advisable to omit the results of the latter, so as to 

 make the comparison uniform, and to separate those of the 

 original stations (I. to VI.) from the new ones (VII. to XVI.). 



Twelve hauls on the original six stations gave the best 

 results yet obtained, viz., 3,837 fishes, or 319 per haul. Of this 

 total 2,168, or 180 per haul, were saleable, and 1,669, or 139 per 

 haul, unsaleable. The work was carried on in May and October, 

 two months on the whole favourable for the experiments, 

 though less productive than August. Thus the average (10 

 years) for May in St Andrews Bay is 251 and for October 223, 

 while for August it is 515. In the same way the average for 

 the Forth in May is 175, October 262, and for August 421. 

 The comparison will show that the result of the work in the 

 Moray Frith in 1893 was exceptionally favourable. 



The highest place was occupied by the dab with 1,577, or 

 131 per haul, yet in this respect it was 10 under 1891. Plaice 

 followed with 1,413, or 117 per haul, 57 under the average of 

 the previous year — closure notwithstanding. Haddocks had 

 not reached so high a figure, 379, or 31 per haul, since 1887. 

 Gurnards were likewise 12 per haul over the previous year. 

 Lemon-dabs were also more than double the number of 1892. 

 The reporter seemed somewhat puzzled^ by the divergence 

 between May and October, but as the preponderance was chiefly 

 caused by large numbers of small plaice and dabs in the latter 

 month no surprise need be felt. It is observed that the cessa- 

 tion of trawling will, to some extent, account for the increase 

 of flat fishes, and apparently it is thought that the Moray Frith 

 may come up to expectations better than either St Andrews 

 Bay or the Frith of Forth " since it contains within it exten- 

 sive spawning-grounds for white fishes." Subsequent results, 

 however, seem to demonstrate the value of the saving clause 

 " but it is too soon yet to draw any conclusion as to the 

 results of the closure." 



1 12th Report S. F. B., p. 27. 



