of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 161 



1904 1905. 



Months. 



Estimated 

 No. of 

 Crans. 



Estimated 

 No. of Young 

 Herring. 



Estimated 

 No. of 

 Sprats. 



Estimated 

 Total No. of 

 Fish. 



Estimated 

 Percentage 

 of Young 

 Herring. 



October, 



15£ 



91,152 



355,248 



446,400 



20*4 



November, . 



485f 



7,581,639 



12,133,721 



19,715,360 



38-5 



December, . 



408] 



5,942,736 



5,814,864 



11,757,800 



50-5 



January, 



428| 



9,654,192 



2,693,808 



12,348,000 



78-2 



February, . 



n 



167,184 



110,016 



277,200 



60-3 





1,3471 



23,436,903 



21,107,657 



44,544,560 



50-4 



It will be observed that the percentage of herring gradually and 

 steadily increased from the commencement of the season until January, 

 and was still at a high level when the fishing closed. 



Tay Sprat Fishing Investigations- 1904-1905. 

 Causes of Failure of the Fishing. 



This season's sprat fishing has been one of the poorest for many years, 

 ^reat distress prevailing amongst the fishermen during the first half of 

 the season, or from October till the end of December. 



During that time both fishermen and buyers were losing money, and, 

 at most, the fishermen were only able to pay for the wear and tear of 

 gear, dock dues, and victualling. 



The principal causes of complaint were : — 



(1) The scarcity and poor quality of the fish. 



(2) The low prices obtained for the fish. 



(3) The alleged excessive railway rates. 



The mild open winter, want of south-easterly gales, and almost total 

 absence of spates may have something to do with the scarcity of fish in 

 the river, but, so far, I have not been able to prove that such causes have 

 any influence upon the movements of the fish. 



As the bag-net captures all sizes and every kind of fish that enters the 

 river, it follows that the very large numbers of young sprats and young 

 herring, together with the usually considerable numbers of young cod, 

 whiting, Agoni, shrimps, &c, all go to make up the so-called rubbishy 

 stuff sent from Dundee to the English markets. 



This mixture of fish has no chance beside the prime sprats sent from 

 Inverness, where the fishing is carried on by means of drift-nets. 



The railway companies charge from 6s. to 10s. per barrel for fish sent 

 to the English markets. This rate is doubtless a severe handicap on the 

 trade considering the small value of the produce, though it can scarcely 

 be deemed high considering the bulk of the goods and the distance from 

 Dundee to the great English towns 



General Account of the Fishing. 



By common agreement among the fishermen, the Tay sprat fishing 

 begins on the 25th of September and ends on the 25th of February. 



