of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



35 



The aggregate catch for the year was 35,297 crans, and only the drift-net 

 was employed throughout the season. 



In 1867 the fishing began unusually late, the first entry in the 

 records being for the week ended 3rd August, when 70 crans were 

 caught at Arran and Inchmarnock. During the rest of the month and in 

 September it continued light and in the same waters. In October the 

 grounds mentioned are the west side of Bute and Loch Long, where a 

 few herrings were caught. On 19th October it was reported that some 

 good takes were got with the seine in Loch Long, that there had been no 

 fishing in the Kyles of Bute, but that a shoal was reported within 

 Ardlamont Point. On 22nd October fishing set in in the Kyles, seines 

 as well as drift-nets being now used. In November the fishing con- 

 tinued in Loch Eiddon and the Kyles, and there was also a slight fishing 

 in Loch Long and Loch Goil, which is a branch of Loch Long ; but in the 

 Kyles and Loch Riddon it fell off, and many of the boats left for 

 Gareloch (in the Greenock district), where a good fishing was reported. 

 In the first part of December the fishing continued to be poor in the 

 Kyles and Loch Riddon, and was entirely by seines, and it fell off in 

 Loch Long and the Gareloch, but a little was still done in Loch Goil. But 

 about the middle of December the fishing began again to be very 

 successful in the Kyles and in Loch Riddon, and large takes were 

 obtained, only by seines, and this condition continued till the middle of 

 January, 1868, when it fell off, the fishing closing at the end of the 

 month, chiefly about Ardlamont and the west side of Bute. The catches 

 in the various weeks were as follows : — 



August. 



September. 



October. 



November. 



December. 



January. 



70 



43 



40 



1,340 



550 



60 



67 



* 37 



14 



400 



610 



1,071 



103 



50 



120 



607 



3,100 



454 



85 



90 



340 



730 



3,060 



1,290 



75 





4,500 





60 



400 



220 



5,014 



3,077 



7,320 



2,935 



The total for the year was 28,791 crans. 



In 1868 the fishing began in the week ended 25th July, at Arran, 

 Inchmarnock, and between Bute and Arran. In August and September 

 the grounds were the same ; but from the beginning of September there 

 was a fairly good fishing in Loch Long, where 18 boats were engaged. In 

 October only a few hundreds of herrings were got in trials in the Kyles, 

 better catches being taken near Ardlamont. In this month and in 

 November many of the boats left for Greenock and the Gareloch, but a 

 slight fishing was still carried on in Loch Long, and a few herrings were 

 caught in the Kyles and Loch Riddon, but there was no appearance of a 

 shoal. In December very little fishing was done in the district till 

 about the middle of the month, when fair takes began to be got in the 

 Kyles of Bute (part not specified), and in Loch Long and Loch Goil. 

 In the week ended 19th December it is stated that the fishermen 

 reported there was a great shoal of herrings in Loch Long, which they 

 supposed to have come from the Clyde, that is to say, the Greenock 

 district. The fishing in the Kyles fell away towards the end of 



