CHAPTER Vir. 



Summary and Conclusions. 



The uniformity of the results of the observations and 

 experiments in St Andrews Bay, the Forth, the Moray Frith 

 and the Clyde is worthy of note, for in none can it be said that 

 a substantial increment, or a great diminution has occurred ; in 

 none have the fishes increased generally in size, or varied in 

 kinds from what they have always been. Changes may have 

 happened since the days of our forefathers, but they do not 

 seem to be of a kind to be influenced in any marked manner 

 by the restrictive measures hitherto adopted. 



There is no diminution in the total quantity landed, but an 

 increase. Nor will it much alter the case to state that this 

 increase has been obtained by a larger fleet of ships and boats, 

 since these, individually, may capture a proportionally smaller 

 number of fishes. In England and Wales a similar condition 

 holds, a progressive- increase from 1895 being apparent. Thus 

 in 1896 the total quantity was 7,550,678 cwts. of the value of 

 £5,166,780 ; while in 1897 the total was 7,946,108 cwts. of the 

 value of £5,568,978. Moreover, haddocks seem to be the 

 fishes of which the largest quantity was taken, viz. 2,548,913 

 cwts. 



In St Andrews Bay, the condition of the fish-fauna imme- 

 diately after the cessation of trawling showed that the statements 

 as to impoverishment could not be sustained. Not only great 

 abundance of flat fishes, but, in their season, even large round 

 fishes, such as the cod and conger, were captured. The distribu- 

 tion of the food-fishes, indeed, within the bay, remains very 



