of the Fishery Board for tieotlaud. 



13 



Seine-Net Fishing for Herrings at Ballantrae Bank. 



Arrangements were again made in the Spring of the present 

 year, before the time that the herring fishing on Ballantrae Bank 

 usually begins, to make an investigation as to the action of the 

 seine-net in capturing herrings on that spawning ground, particu- 

 larly with reference to the main allegations against its use, 

 namely, the destruction of herring-spawn and the capture of large 

 quantities of immature herrings. Unfortunately, as was the case 

 during the two previous seasons when similar arrangements were 

 made, the fishing was a comparative failure, and hence the 

 opportunity was not afforded of carrying on the investigation. 



Scottish Mackerel Fishing. 



It was stated in last years Report that considerable public 

 attention had been directed during the last year or two towards 

 the feasibility of establishing a fishing for mackerel on the West 

 Coast of Scotland, and particularly in the neighbourhood of Barra ; 

 and reasons were given for the belief that mackerel were generally 

 present in large shoals to the west and north west of Barra in the 

 early part of Summer. During the herring fishing at Barra in the 

 present year, large numbers of mackerel were met with by the 

 herring fishermen In the region referred to, and so abundant were 

 they on some occasions in June, that the fishermen refrained from 

 shooting their nets. It has been shown that the Barra mackerel 

 are of large size and superior quality, and there is little doubt that 

 a market could readily be found for them in the fresh state in 

 England, and as pickled fish in the United States of America, 

 where cured mackerel are in great demand and bring high prices. 

 While the Board have not been in a position to carry on experi- 

 mental fishing on a scale of sufficient magnitude to prove that the 

 undertaking would be commercially successful, all the information 

 available points in this direction, and it is well worthy of the con- 

 sideration of fish-curers whether an association could not be formed 

 to give it a thorough trial. 



The Influence of Marine Currents in Transporting Floating 

 Eggs and Larvj*; from Offshore Spawning Areas. 



Previous investigations of the Board have shown that the inshore 

 waters are destitute of spawning grounds for the great majority of 

 the food fishes, and that they receive their supplies from the 

 spawning areas situated at some distance from shore. In the 

 present Eeport a preliminary account is given by Dr T. Wemyss 

 Fulton of experiments which have been made to determine the 

 influence of marine currents in transporting the floating eggs and 

 young fishes to various parts of the coast. It is shown that they 

 may be carried in the course of their development long distances 

 in a definite direction, to other parts of the coast, and that the fish 

 supply of a given area of the territorial waters on the East Coast 

 may be derived, not from the spawning areas ex adverso, but from 

 those situated further north. 

 B 



