216 INVESTIGATIONS IN FRITH OF CLYDE, 1897. 



been shown to be in a line with the results obtained on the 

 east coast. 



The pole-dab, again, is not more important than the dab 

 in thus substantiating the benefits of the closure in the Clyde, 

 and yet the dab commenced with 22 per haul in 1888, and 

 concluded with but 12. The plaice began similarly with 5 

 per haul, and ended with a little over 2. The lemon-dab 

 began with 7 and ended with 5. The whiting began with 6 

 and ended with 2. A diminution occurred likewise in the 

 cod, sail-fluke, flounder and grey skate. On the other hand, 

 the long-rough dab commenced with 5 per haul and concluded 

 with 17, but this number also occurred in the second period, 

 viz. in 1890; the gurnard began with 20 and concluded with 

 21, and the hake with 9 and 9. The average captures of the 

 sole during the five years were 11, 5, 9, 8 and 25 per haul, the 

 latter being more than double the number in 1888, but the 

 fact that three low averages intervened shows that an element 

 of uncertainty exists, and that in all probability such an in- 

 crease is due to the influence of the months of May and 

 September, which are not represented in the previous work 

 of the " Garland " in the Clyde. The haddock showed a slight 

 increase, beginning with 2 and ending with a little over 3. 

 With the exception of the pole-dab and the long-rough dab, 

 it cannot be said that any increase occurred in the flat fishes. 

 The vicissitudes in the returns of the majority of the fishes 

 arise from the usual irregularities, and a consideration of 

 the whole gives little support to the cumulative theory, but 

 rather favours the opinion that food- fishes in general in the 

 area of the Clyde were practically unaffected by the closure. 



A similar conclusion is apparent by an examination of the 

 returns for each station. For three of these, without regard to 

 the greatly increased number of hauls, the last entry was lower 

 than the first. 



The essential differences between the work of the "Garland" 

 and that of a commercial trawler is clearly brought out by con- 

 trasting the results in the protected area of the Clyde with that 

 on the east coast in 1884 in the unprotected waters. Ninety- 

 seven hauls of the " Garland's " trawl in the Clyde area produced 



