of the Fishery Board for Scotland, 



21 



close to the shore, and others are situated on or near the great spawning 

 ground, Smith Bank, at a considerable distance from the coast. During 

 last year each of the stations was examined on two occasions, once in 

 July and once in October ; the time thus fairly corresponding to the 

 period of examination in 1893, namely May and October. When the 

 averages of the 37 hauls made in 1893 are compared with those of the 

 35 hauls last year, it is found that a considerable increase in the abundance 

 of the food fishes took place. In 1893 the average of the total number 

 of fishes of all kinds, per haul was 257 9, while last year it reached 292*1. 

 There was an increase both in round-fishes and flat-fishes. The average 

 for the former rose from 106*3 to 129*1 , and the average for the latter 

 from 146*2 to 157*6. The average for all kinds of flat-fishes, except 

 plaice, was higher than in 1893, the abundance of long rough dabs being 

 considerably greater. There was also an increase in the numbers of 

 round-fishes, except cod and gurnard. The observations in the Moray 

 Firth have, however, not been sufficiently numerous, or continued over a 

 sufficiently long period to yield any satisfactory conclusions as to the 

 results of the closure. The special statistics collected along the coasts of 

 the Moray Firth, showing the quantities of fish caught each month within 

 the closed waters are referred to below. 



4. The Firth op Clyde. 



In the Firth of Clyde, which was closed in 1889 to beam-trawling 

 within a line from the Mull of Cantyre, Argyleshire, to Corsewall Point in 

 Wigtownshire, comprising over 600 square miles, twelve stations, for carry- 

 ing on experiments as to the influence of the closure of the water, were 

 selected in 1887. These stations have been examined on two occasions, 

 once in 1887 and once in 1890, but have not been examined since the 

 latter year. There is not, therefore, any information available as to the 

 results of the prohibition of beam-trawling on the fishing-grounds in the 

 area of the Firth of Clyde. 



SPECIAL STATISTICS OF FISH CAUGHT BY LINE 

 FISHERMEN. 



1. Statistics showing the Quantities of Line-Caught Fish obtained 

 from Territorial Waters. 



Special statistics are given in Table E. (p. 94) showing the quantities 

 of fish caught by liners in the territorial waters of the East Coast, from 

 North Berwick in the south to Skateraw, a few miles south of Aberdeen. 

 The monthly and yearly averages per i shot ' for each kind of fish captured 

 are also given; and Table F. (p. 112) indicates the quantities and 

 averages for each district for the last three years. 



An examination of the various tables shows that during 1894 there 

 was an increase in the number of ' shots ' in the portion of the territorial 

 waters under consideration, namely, 37,219 as against 34,631 in the 

 previous year. There was also an increase in the quantity of fish caught, 

 both absolutely and in proportion to the number of shots, the average per 

 * shot ' for the year being 2*219 cwts., as compared with 1*703 cwts. in 



