28 



Part III — Seventh Annual Report 



showed the greatest decline in the takes of the 1 Garland.' It was for this 

 reason, as well as for another connected with the general absence of spawn- 

 ing fish in the Firth of Forth and in St Andrews Bay, determined to test 

 these grounds with one of the largest beam trawls used. Arrangements 

 were accordingly made with Messrs Johnston of Montrose and Mr Gunn 

 of Gran ton to admit of a large beam-trawler working along certain specially 

 selected Hues in the Firth of Forth and St Andrews Bay. The results 

 of these special trawl ings are referred to in the abstract of Mr Scott's 

 reports (p. 171), but it may be here stated that they 'confirmed the results 

 obtained by the ' Garland's ' trawl. At first sight, the idea suggests itself 

 that the excess of fish obtained by the line fishermen might account for 

 the decrease in those obtained by the trawl. But careful consideration 

 of the amounts of the fish landed by the fishermen from these waters tends 

 to show that this cannot be the only explanation. It seems more probable 

 that the diminution in the amount of fish obtained by the 1 Garland's ' trawl, 

 and the comparatively small takes of the large trawlers, were largely due 

 to the exceptional character of the weather during last year. A com- 

 parison of the temperature of the bottom water at all the stations in the 

 Firth of Forth, for June, August, and September in 1887 and 1888 shows 

 that in the latter year the average temperature of the bottom water was 

 1 0, 6 F. less than in 1887. In 1888 the temperature of the bottom water 

 was lower than in 1887 at all the stations in each of the three months 

 named, except during June and August at Station IV. At some of the 

 stations the difference in the average temperature reached nearly 3° F. 

 in 1888. We are not yet sufficiently acquainted with the influence which 

 changes of temperature may have in regulating the movements of fish ; 

 but it is possible that the prevalence of colder water in 1888 may have 

 caused the fish to move seawards. A reason probably more cogent, and 

 more immediately apparent, was the generally disturbed and stormy 

 weather. In a confined area like the Firth of Forth, or in a shallow 

 littoral bay such a3 that of St Andrews, the effects of the agitation of the 

 water by a storm soon spreads to the bottom and causes the fish to be 

 disturbed and alert. 



It has been stated by an experienced East Coast trawler that it was 

 noticed on many occasions in 1888, that when the trawl and line boats 

 were working on the same ground and the latter getting plenty of fish, 

 the trawlers had very poor ' shots.' 



It has been shown above that in 1888 there occurred a great increase in 

 the productiveness of the line fishing along the East Coast. The line 

 fishermen of this portion of the Scottish sea board landed in 1888 above 

 6000 tons of fish more than they did in 1887, and although the increase 

 in a portion of the open waters immediately adjacent to the closed area 

 was somewhat greater than in that area, it is noteworthy that this increase 

 should succeed and be contemporaneous with the interdiction of beam- 

 trawling in a considerable portion of the territorial waters. The increase 

 has also, especially in the Leith and Anstruther districts, been largely due 

 to an increase in flat-fish. 



The increased amount of fish landed by line fishermen is also associated 

 with a considerable reduction in the number of fishing boats and men ; 

 there having been 156 fewer boats, and about 1000 less men in 1888 

 than in 1887. 



The opinion was expressed in the Report of last year that it was prob- 

 able the inshore waters formed nurseries for young fish, and especially, 

 where the physical conditions were suitable, for young flat-fish, and that the 

 sexually mature fish congregate in offshore waters. The general result of the 

 systematic investigations of the { Garland ' in the territorial waters has been 



