of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



25 



a considerable increase in the open part of this district. The average per 

 'shot' for the whole closed area was, for 1887, 1*15 cwt., and for 1888, 

 1*05 cwt., showing a slight decrease. For the open waters the average 

 per 'shot ' in 1887 was 0*985 cwt., and in 1888, 1*5 cwt., showing a con- 

 siderable increase. 



In regard to flat-fish the statistics relate to lemon soles, dabs, and 

 flounders collectively, and to skate and turbot collectively. In 1888 there 

 was a considerable increase in the former group in the Leith district (an 

 average per shot of 0-231 cwt. as compared with 0*152 cwt. in 1887) ; 

 there was also a large increase in the closed part of the Montrose district, 

 and in the Anstruther district there was an increase from an average of 

 0*111 cwt. in 1887, to an average of 0*23 cwt. in 1888, or rather more 

 than double. In the unclosed part of the Montrose district there was, on 

 the other hand, a slight decrease, from an average of 0'038 cwt. in 1887, 

 to an average of 0*032 cwt. in 1888. The average per 'shot' of lemon 

 soles, dabs, and flounders was for the closed area 0*145 cwt. in 1877, and 

 0*295 cwt. in 1888, or an increase of rather more than double in the 

 latter year. In the unclosed area the average for 1887 was 0*038 cwt., 

 and for 1888, 0*039 cwt., or practically the same. In the Leith district 

 the total quantity of these flat-fish landed in 1887 was 121 3 J cwts., 

 while in 1888 it was 1870 J cwts. In the Anstruther district the 

 quantities in the two years respectively were 1299 cwts. and 2072 J cwts. 

 In the whole of the closed area the amount of these flat-fish obtained was, 

 in 1887, 3038J cwts., and in 1888, 5765J cwts. 



Skate and turbot form only a small portion of the catches in the 

 territorial waters. In 1888 there was a considerable increase in the Leith 

 district, a decrease in the Anstruther district, a very marked decrease in 

 the closed part of the Montrose district (from an average of 0*342 cwt. in 

 1887 to an average of 0*013 cwt. in 1888). For the whole of the closed 

 area the average ' per shot ' of turbot and skate was 0*032 cwt. in 1887 

 and 0*014 cwt. in 1888, showing therefore a considerable decrease. 

 For the open area the corresponding averages were 0*001 cwt. in 

 1887 and 0*0003 in 1888. ISTo stress can, however, be laid on these 

 figures, from the fact that the gross amounts are very small. In 1887 

 the amount of skate and turbot caught in the whole of the closed area 

 was 674 cwts. as against 379 J cwts. in 1888. 



Of fish classed as ' other white fish,' the quantities are too small to 

 repay detailed examination of the figures. Taking the whole closed 

 area they show a slight increase in the average per ' shot ' in 1888 as com- 

 pared with 1887. In the unclosed area there is also an increase, much 

 greater in proportion. 



The main results of the analysis of these statistics may be thus sum- 

 marised : — (1) There has occurred, during the period these records have 

 been kept, a considerable increase in the quantites of fish caught within 

 the territorial waters. (2) This increase has been on the whole greater in 

 the unprotected area than in the closed waters. (3) The principal factor 

 of the increase in the closed area has been the increase of fiat-fish, and in 

 the unclosed area of cod and haddock, and 'other fish.' 



It may be stated that from inquiries which have been made it appears 

 that the amount of beam-trawling in the unprotected area of the territorial 

 waters in the Montrose and Stonehaven districts is extremely small. In 

 the Stonehaven district the ground is generally unfitted for this mode of 

 fishing, and the local trawlers do not generally fish in the territorial waters 

 of the Montrose district. 



