Ixiv 



Fifth Annual Report of the 



of the previous year of 17,000 cwts., but a decrease in value of 

 £503. The principal mussel scalps are situated in the Firths of 

 Clyde, Forth, and Tay, the Moray Firth, and in Montrose district ; 

 but there are also scalps at many other places, particularly on the 

 West Coast. 



Clam. — The total quantity of clams landed in 1886 was 9100 

 cwts., valued at £1256. These fish were all got in the proline 

 clam beds lying off Prestonpans and Cockenzie, in the Firth of 

 Forth, extending to several square miles. Limited quantities are 

 occasionally taken in the districts of Stornoway, Campbeltown, 

 Inveraray, Cromarty, and Orkney. 



Lobster. — The number of lobsters landed amounted to 749,350, 

 valued at £30,505, being less than in the previous year by 206,950, 

 and by £4576 in value. The best fishings were got in the districts 

 of Stornoway and Orkney, which yielded 217,570 and 107,750 

 lobsters respectively. The former number shows a decrease, as 

 compared with that of the previous year, of 304,530, and the latter 

 an increase of 34,950. The districts which, next in order, yielded 

 the best fishings, were Campbeltown, Loch Broom, and Wick. All 

 the others contributed, more or less to the total quantity landed, 

 except Shetland, where no lobsters could be found. Those caught 

 on the West Coast were superior in quality to those taken on the 

 East Coast. 



Crab. — Of crabs the total number landed last year was 

 2,384,650, valued at £13,544, being a decrease, as compared with 

 1885, of 865,250, and £10,196 lb value. The best crab fishing 

 was got in the districts of Leith, Anstruther, Montrose, and Eye- 

 mouth. Except Shetland, where neither crabs nor lobsters are 

 found, all the other districts contributed, in a greater or less degree, 

 to the gross quantity caught. Crabs found on the West Coasts, 

 more particularly at the Outer Hebrides, are of inferior quality to 

 those landed on the East Coast. They are seldom used as food 

 by the inhibitants of the districts where they can be got, and they 

 are not worth the cost of carriage to the centres of population. 



Other Kinds of Shell Fish. — Of the other kinds of shell fish, 

 the most important are the cockle, whelk, limpet, and razor-fish. 

 Of these, 63,231 cwts. were landed in 1886, valued at £11,823, being 

 an increase over the take of the previous year of 9035 cwts., and a 

 decrease of £2373 in value. The districts which contributed the 

 largest quantity were Stornoway, Shetland, Loch Carron and Skye, 

 Orkney, Ballantrae, Anstruther, Fort William, Wick, and Inveraray. 

 Cockles are found in great abundance upon the West Coast, where 

 they are much used as an article of food, and occasionally for bait. 

 The most productive beds are in the Outer Hebrides, especially at 

 the north end of the Island of Barra. Very large quantities of 

 excellent quality have been annually landed there for a number of 

 years past, and shipped to various towns in the country, especially 

 in the midland counties of England, where they find a ready sale. 

 Steamers now touch at Barra three times a week ; and this has 

 greatly tended to develop the cockle fisheries, which have in no 

 small degree alleviated the poverty which often prevails at Barra 

 during the winter and spring months. Whelks are plentiful on 

 many parts of the coast, and large quantities are gathered and 

 sent to market every year. Limpets are also found in considerable 



