of the Fishery Board for Scotland, 



23 



The Table gives the monthly quantities of the various kinds of fish 

 caught by line fishermen in the territorial waters of the districts above- 

 named, in waters where trawling is prohibited and where it is permitted. 

 For the sake of brevity, an area where beam trawling is not allowed will 

 be designated a closed or restricted area ; an area where beam trawling 

 is permitted will be called an open or unrestricted area. The Table also 

 gives details regarding the number and size of the boats fishing in the 

 territorial waters, to which these statistics solely refer, and the number 

 and size of those fishing beyond the territorial area ; the average size of 

 the fish, the kind of bait used, &c. The outstanding feature of the 

 records is, however, as has been said, that it allows comparison to be 

 made between (1) the quantity of fish caught by line in the restricted 

 area and the quantity in the unrestricted area for two successive years ; 

 (2) the quantities caught in each year in the restricted and unrestricted 

 areas. The Table also takes note of the amount of herring caught in 

 the territorial waters of the districts mentioned ; but in dealing with 

 the statistics the figures relating to herring have not been considered, 

 the comparisons being strictly limited to the fish caught by line. 



The total quantity of fish caught by line in the territorial area of the 

 various districts was, in 1887 and 1888, no less than 124,996 cwts., 

 or 6249 tons. The number of trips of the fishing boats, while fishing 

 in the territorial waters, or, in other words, the number of 4 shots,' was 

 in the eighteen months 57,381. In 1887, 26,867 trips or ' shots' were 

 made, 20,871 being in the closed area and 5996 in the open area. In 

 1888, the number of 'shots' was 30,514, of which 19,540 were in the 

 closed area and 10,954 in the open area, 4219 of the latter being 

 in the Stonehaven district. The total amount of line fish caught in 

 the closed areas in 1887 was 38,396 cwts. as compared with 42,466 cwts. 

 in 1888 ; thus there was a considerable gross increase in the latter year. 

 But it is necessary to take into consideration the number of ' shots ' 

 in the two years, and when this is done it is found that the average 

 catch per 'shot' in 1887 for the total closed area was 1*83 cwts. as 

 compared with 2 '17 cwts. in 1888. There was accordingly a considerable 

 increase in the average productiveness of the protected area in 1888. 



In the unclosed portion of the Montrose district the amount of fish 

 caught by line in 1887 was 11,832 cwts., and in 1888, 24,050, or rather 

 more than double. The number of trips or 'shots ' was 5996 in 1887, and 

 6755 in 1888. Accordingly, when detailed comparison is made, the 

 average per 'shot' for the unclosed area is found to be for 1887, 1*98 

 cwt., or slightly over the average for the whole of the closed waters in 

 the same year ; in 1888 the average per 'shot' was 3*55 cwts., or consider- 

 ably over the average for the whole of the closed area. Thus these 

 figures show that there occurred in 1888 a general increase in the 

 productiveness of the territorial waters ; and that this increase has been 

 more marked in the open than in the closed area. It is to be 

 remembered, however, that the extent of the closed waters in the stretch 

 of coast from which these statistics are drawn is much greater than the 

 extent of the open waters. It is desirable, therefore, to make a detailed 

 comparison between the different districts in each year and in both years. 

 In 1887 the amount of fish caught by line fishermen in the closed area 

 of the Leith district was 15,147 cwts. In 1888 the same area yielded 

 16,896 cwts., or an increase of 1749 cwts. over the total for 1887. 

 When the number of ' shots ' is taken into account, we get an average 

 per 'shot' of 189 cwt. for 1887, and of 1*96 cwt. for 1888, showing 

 therefore a slight increase. In the Anstruther district the amount of 

 fish caught by line in the closed area was 20,326 cwts. in 1887 and 



