of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



279 



Clearly it cannot be ascribed to fishing Ballantrae Bank during the 

 spawning season, for this year again the Bank was virtually undisturbed 

 by herring nets. 



Cod-net fishing and line fishing were carried on concurrently in the ^SfeFishinls 

 early months of the year, and, owing to the weather conditions prevailing, 

 the work was often difficult and hazardous. The drawings from these 

 sources formed a by no means unimportant item in the earnings of the 

 fishermen, representing a sum of about .£9000. The quantity landed was 

 augmented by the deliveries of two East Coast crews, who made Girvan 

 their headquarters, and by occasional visits from stranger boats operating 

 in the Firth of Clyde. The general results were rather better than those of 

 the preceding year. 



The quantity of flat fish taken by beam trawl shows a decrease in Beam Trawl- 

 weight and value of 22 and 28*58 per cent, respectively, while the results pjounder-ne-? 

 from the seine flounder net were also disappointing. Fishing. 



Mackerel were found in abundance all over the district. The quantity Mackerel 

 landed exceeded the demand. The fish were of a small size, and for this Flsnm £- 

 reason were often unmarketable. A greater quantity could have been 

 caught had there been an outlet for them at remunerative prices. 



Lobsters and crabs show a shorter catch, but for the former the value Shell-fish 

 was relatively higher, while the output of oysters was double that of the Fisheries « 

 year 1 905, with a corresponding increase in value. 



One man lost his life owing to the swamping of a boat at the entrance Casualties, 

 to Dunure harbour. While at the moment of writing it is reported that 

 two Kirkcolm fishermen, brothers, left Tarbert on 26th December with a 

 boat which they had purchased there, and have not been heard of sinee. 

 The loss of, and damage to, netting was considerable. The principal 

 causes were weight of fish, rough weather, and strong tides in Lochryau, 

 where most of the losses were sustained. 



Wm. Wares, 



Girvan, 7 th January 1907. Fishery Officer. 



