of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



3 



carried on into the more important points connected with the food, 

 migrations, spawning, and distribution of mature and immature fish, 

 which are so closely related to the condition and productiveness 

 of inshore fishing grounds. These investigations are embodied for 

 the most part in Special Eeports referred to in more detail below. 



.From the knowledge acquired during the biological investigations 

 in the inshore waters, it was found necessary to extend the inquiries 

 to the offshore fishing grounds. Hitherto this has been impossible, 

 owing to the fishery cruisers being unsuitable for carrying on 

 scientific work ; but this year, through the courtesy of Messrs 

 Johnston & Sons, Montrose, it has been possible to carry on 

 systematic investigations into the condition of certain of the great 

 fishing grounds lying off the East Coast, beyond the limit of the 

 territorial waters. These banks are largely resorted to by shoals 

 of various food-fishes, such as plaice, cod, and haddock, for the 

 purpose of spawning, while most of the inshore waters, more 

 especially in the Firth of Forth, seem to form great nurseries for 

 the rearing of young and immature fish. The recently discovered 

 fishing grounds in the Pentland Firth, the well known Smith 

 Bank, situated in the Moray Firth, and other offshore grounds, 

 have been specially examined physically and biologically. The 

 physical observations were made on board H.M.S. ' Jackal,' while 

 the biological inquiries were carried on on board Messrs Johnston's 

 steam trawler ' Southesk.' The ' Garland ' has recently been sent 

 to make a more thorough examination of the Smith Bank and other 

 fishing areas on the East Coast, and a series of experimental trawl- 

 ings have been arranged for in the waters around the Orkney 

 Islands. 



It has not been found possible for the ' Garland ' to make similar 

 systematic investigations on the West Coast of Scotland, the 

 vessel having been fully employed in the inquiries associated with 

 the closed waters on the East Coast, and the ' Vigilant 'and the other 

 fishery cruisers being quite unsuitable for taking part in trawling 

 and other experiments, the Scientific Department of the Board 

 were again able, through the courtesy of Messrs Johnston and 

 Sons, Montrose, to avail themselves of the services of the powerful 

 and well-equipped steam trawler, the ' Southesk,' which has 

 accordingly been employed in testing some of the more important 

 fishing banks in the vicinity of the Western Islands. The results 

 of these operations are referred to below. 



Already a preliminary survey of the more important fishing 

 grounds in the Clyde area has been made, and it is now a matter 

 of the greatest importance that a fishery cruiser be provided, 

 which, in addition to the ordinary work of superintendence, will 

 be adapted for making a thorough examination of the fishing 

 grounds around both the Inner and Outer Hebrides, with the 

 special view of opening up and promoting as rapiily as possible 

 the fisheries on the West Coast. 



(1) The Trawling Experiments of the ' Garland! 



The results of the trawling operations of the ' Garland ' during 

 the year will be found fully discussed in the Special Report (p. 16). 



