212 INVESTIGATIONS IN FRITH OF CLYDE, 1888. 



for about 4 miles, ending 5 miles S.W. off Ailsa Craig. 

 30 fathoms ; clean. Station IX. 4 — 5 miles W.N.W. from Ailsa 

 Craig and extends 4 miles in a S.W. direction. Depth 20 — 28 

 fathoms; mud and sand. Station X. 4 miles long, lies in a 

 N.E. direction, 7 miles from the Can tyre coast, between it and 

 Ailsa Craig. 23 fathoms; sand and sea-weeds. Station XI. 

 passes round Ayr Bay for 4 miles, from 2 — 4 miles off the 

 shore. Depth 12 — 20 fathoms ; sandy, with rocks and hard 

 ground. Station XII. 4 miles long, extending E. midway 

 between Arran and the Heads of Ayr. 33 — 40 fathoms; mud\ 



The area of the Clyde, thus closed by the action of the 

 Fishery Board and under the impression that an increase in 

 the number and size of the fishes would result, as well as for 

 experimental purposes, differs in certain features from the 

 Forth and St Andrews Bay, and in others approaches the Moray 

 Frith. 



The first period of the " Garland's " work in the Clyde 

 occurred in February and March (1888), and resulted in the 

 capture of 1,367 fishes, of which 705 were saleable and 662 

 unsaleable. The average for the 13 hauls was 105, or 54 

 saleable and 51 unsaleable. The small number of hauls (2) in 

 February in proportion to the 11 in March did not reduce the 

 average so much as it would otherwise have done. The differ- 

 ence in the number of food-fishes in this area as contrasted 

 with the Forth was commented on in the Report of the year^, 

 and it was stated that such was due to the fact that the Forth 

 was closed, whereas in the Clyde trawling was actively prose- 

 cuted. But February and March were not the most productive 

 months with which to institute the comparison, since the 

 average for the former was only 27 and for the latter 119. 

 Little weight therefore need be put on this supposition as to 

 the cause of the scarcity, especially as all the hauls occurred in 

 the colder months. 



The dab occupies the first place with an average of 23 per 

 haul, a number about a third that of the Moray Frith and 

 St Andrews Bay, but only one less than the average the same 



1 6th Annual Report, S. F. B., 1888, Part in. p. 32. 

 ^ 6th Annual Report, Part iii. p. 83, 



