of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



55 



The first station (I.) extends for five miles S.E. by E. from St Andrews, 

 and has a depth of from 6 to 12 fathoms. Lines from small boats are 

 often set in the vicinity of this station. 



Station II. begins at a point about two miles from St Andrews and 

 extends E. by S. to the boundary line — a distance of four miles. The 

 water at first 7, gradually deepens to 14 fathoms. In these two stations 

 the ' Garland ' captured (Table B) in addition to flat fish (plaice, dabs, 

 flounders and turbot), a number of round fish, including gurnards, 

 haddocks and dragonets, and Station II. also yielded a number of skate. 



Station III. begins about two miles from the pier, and extends for a 

 distance of four miles E. by N. towards the boundary line. The depth 

 increases from 8 to 12 fathoms. From this station brill and small cod 

 were taken along with the fish common to all the stations. 



Station IV. begins at a point about a mile and a half from the harbour 

 and describes a curve around the N.W. part of the bay, the depth being 

 at no point greater than 8 fathoms. From Station IV. gurnard, saith, and 

 skate were taken along with the flat fish. 



The last Station V. in St Andrews Bay as already said lies beyond the 

 restricted area. It begins about two miles from the Tay buoy, runs 

 parallel to the boundary line and ends east half south of Barbert Ness. 

 The fish taken in this, were similar to those at the other stations 

 (TableB , page 80). From the conformation and position of St Andrews 

 Bay it will be readily understood that during easterly and north-easterly 

 gales its waters are extremely unsettled, heavy swells roll in to break on 

 the beach or on the rocks along the south shore. Sometimes the waters 

 are so troubled for days, that even the least migratory of the flat fish seek 

 shelter in deep water, hence occasionally when trawling at St Andrews 

 the fish captured were very few in number. It might be supposed that 

 the take was small, owing to the heavy sea preventing the trawl keeping 

 the bottom, rather than the absence of fish ; but this is unlikely, as the 

 line fishermen have had the same experience \ when the Bay is unsettled 

 they require to seek the fish in deeper water. 



The N.W. portion of St Andrews Bay seems to form a nursery for 

 young flatfish, especially dabs and plaice, probably because it is less 

 exposed than the other portions of the bay, or perhaps food is more 

 abundant in the vicinity of the mouth of the Tay. 



In order to give St Andrews Bay every possible chance of becoming 

 as productive as by common report it was some twenty years ago, we have 

 suggested that the present restricted area should be extended so as to 

 enclose the territorial waters that lie oft* the coast of Forfarshire, as far 

 north as Red Head. 



If this is done we trust the increased protection may admit of a freer 

 passage being secured between the bay and the north sea, on which for 

 new supplies it must chiefly depend. Unfortunately, the St Andrews 

 fishermen fail to realize that it is possible to overfish the inshore ground 

 by lines as well as by trawls. We understand that they are setting 

 long lines in the bay, so as to catch as many fish as they possibly can. 

 Should this continue, it may be necessary to prevent for a time all kinds 

 of fishing in St Andrews Bay. 



Aberdeen Bay corresponds in some respects with St Andrews Bay, but 

 the closed area includes not the Bay proper, so much as a narrow portion 

 of the territorial waters (some eighteen miles in length), which extends 

 from Girdle Ness to the Cruden Scars. This area, very narrow at certain 

 points, never reaches a width of three miles. The Dee, Don, and Ythan 

 flow into the bay, but the fresh water flows over the salt without mingling 

 with it as in the Forth to form a true estuary. The bottom consists 



