Iviii 



Thirty-second Annual Report 



was 6,810,000, a little more than in 1911, but considerably less than 

 in the previous year. The estimated number of fry obtained was 

 6,320,000, showing therefore a low death rate in the hatching apparatus, 

 rather under eight per cent. The fry were distributed in six lots, the 

 first on 10th March and the last on 26th May. The great bulk of the 

 fry were liberated at Peterhead, Fraserburgh, and St. Combs, smaller 

 quantities at the end of the season being put into the sea locally. 



Since the hatching of the plaice was begun at the Bay of Nigg, the 

 estimated number of the eggs which have been dealt with amounts to 

 about 115,890,000 and approximately 324,400,000 fry of the plaice 

 have been put into the sea. During the first two years most of the 

 fry were taken to Lochfyne and liberated there, in continuation of an 

 experiment which was begun some years before with the view of 

 ascertaining the effect of the liberation of the fry on the abundance of 

 the older stages of the fish. The results of this experiment are fully 

 described in the Twenty-Sixth Annual Keport. The output of the 

 Hatchery in each year since 1900 is given in the subjoined Table : — 



Year. 



Eggs Collected. 



Fry Liberated. 



1900 . 



. ^43,290,000 



31,305,000 



1901 . 



. 65,377,000 



51,800,000 



1902 . 



. 72,410,000 



55,700,000 



1903 . 



. 65,940,000 



53,600,000 



1904 . 



. 39.000,000 



34,780,000 



1905 . 



. 40,110,000 



24,500,000 



1906 . 



7,486,000 



4,406,000 



1907 . 



1,627,000 



1,282,000 



1908 . 



. 15,332,000 



12,296,000 



1909 . 



. 19,749,000 



16,615,000 



1910 . 



7,880,000 



6,880,000 



1911 . 



6,200,000 



5,680,000 



1912 . 



. 24,650,000 



19,250,000 



1913 . 



6,840,000 



6,320,000 





451,891,000 



324,414,000 



Up to the year 1905 the adult plaice required for the breeding stock 

 were obtained by the use of commercial trawlers ; since then the fish 

 have been secured by the s.s. " Goldseeker," mostly from the Moray 

 Firth. 



The Investigations on the Herring Fishery in Lochfyne. 



The investigations with respect to the failure of the Lochfyne 

 herring fishery were carried on in 1913 as in previous years, as far as the 

 means at disposal permitted. The statistics show that the yield from 

 this once important fishing continues at a lov^ level, though the quantity 

 of herrings caught last year was 864 crans more than in 1912, showing 

 therefore a slight improvement. The first herrings to be caught in 

 the loch appeared in April ; after that there was a gradual increase in 

 the quantity taken until August, from which period a steady decline 

 occurred. The following shows the monthly catch, in cwts., last 

 year :— 



