of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



17 



When the inquiry is pushed further, it is shown that the decrease is 

 shared, but very unequally, by all the various kinds of fish, except cod 

 and whiting; and this observation applies both to the closed and the 

 open areas. Among flat-fish the greatest relative diminution is in the 

 case of lemon dabs, which gave an average in 1887 of 48 in the Firth 

 proper, while the corresponding figure for 1888 is 21. In the open waters 

 the decrease is even more marked, the respective figures for 1887 and 

 1888 being 8*6 and 1'5. The takes of haddocks were also much smaller 

 in 1888. At the stations in the Firth, the average in 1887 was 99 - 5, and 

 in 1888, 41*8, and at the stations outside 91*6 and 54'9 respectively. On 

 the other hand, as has been said, there has been a considerable increase in 

 the more migratory cod and whiting. In the closed waters the average 

 number of whiting, per 'shot,' obtained in 1886 was 11 ; in 1887, 14; and 

 in 1888, nearly double — namely, 24. Cod during these three years gave 

 also a gradually increasing average of 10, 11, and 12. In the open waters 

 the increase of whiting is relatively more marked than in the case of cod. 

 In 1886 the average take of whiting was only 27, and in 1887, 6*2 ; while 

 in 1888 it was no less than 40 - 9. It was pointed out in last year's 

 Report that the distribution of these two fish semed to depend upon 

 similar causes, and the investigations of 1888 show that this is the case. 

 Hitherto the combined results for the whole of the stations have been 

 considered. When the average takes at the individual stations are 

 examined, it is made evident that while there has been a decrease both of 

 round and flat-fish at each of 'them, the diminution is very unequally 

 apportioned. It is noteworthy that the greatest decrease has been in the 

 central stations, most exposed to the influence of storms, namely, at 

 Stations L, III., V., and VI. At Station IV., which lies inshore, and 

 curves round the great south bay of the Forth, the decrease is compara- 

 tively trifling ; and at Station II., which occupies a corresponding position 

 on the north side of the Firth, the decrease is also slight. At some 

 stations the flat-fish have diminished in greater ratio than thej round ; at 

 other stations the contrary is the case, but a careful scrutiny of the 

 figures shows that no general explanation can be given. At all the 

 stations, except Station V., whiting have increased ; at most of the 

 stations cod, and at several stations gurnard, likewise increased. Except 

 at Station IV., where there occurred a slight increase, haddock were taken 

 in diminished numbers at all the stations, as were also the various flat fishes, 

 with the exception of skate, which increased slightly at a few of the stations. 



It may be desirable to institute a comparison between the results of 

 the 'Garland's' operations in the various months of 1887 and 1888. In 

 the closed area, while there was a large decrease of flat-fish in June of the 

 latter year, as compared with the corresponding month of 1887, this 

 decrease was very much less in August, and in September there was an 

 actual increase. In the case of the round fish caught in these months of 

 the two years, the decrease in August and September was much less marked 

 than in June ; while in the open area there was a considerable increase 

 of round fish in September 1888, as compared with the same month in 

 the previous year. 



In regard to the fluctuations in the kinds of fish obtained, the returns 

 show that in June of last year all the fish were less abundant in the closed 

 waters, except gurnard ; in August there was a slight increase of plaice 

 and dabs, and a considerable increase of whitings, as compared with 1887; 

 while in September the increase was mainly in plaice and less markedly 

 in lemon dabs. 



b 



