f 



of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 9 7 



An examination of the curve (PI. II.) shows, moreover, that the recent 

 period of depression closely resembles that which began in 1871, the 

 years 187.2-1874 being very similar, both in regard to absolute 

 quantities of the herrings caught and in relation to one another, to the 

 years 1904-1906. It will also be seen that in the various periods there 

 are never more than two very bad years in succession, viz., 1873-1874, 

 1886 -1887, 1895-1896. Judging, therefore, from all these circumstances, 

 it may with some probability be inferred that the catch in 1907 will be 

 higher than in 1906, though likely still under the average.* 



In order to be able to compare the extent of the annual fluctuations in 

 the yield of herrings in Loch Fyne with the fluctuations on other parts of 

 the coast, I have had tables prepared showing for the period for which 

 statistics are available, 1889-1906, the annual yield and the percentage 

 above and below the mean catch for two East Coast districts, Anstruther 

 and Peterhead, Loch Carron, and for the whole Clyde, the whole of the 

 West Coast, and the whole of the East Coast. 



Table showing the Total Quantity of Herrings Caught (in Crans) per year 

 from 1889 to 1906, and the Percentage above or below the average 

 catch for the period given. 



Year. 



Anstruther. 



Peterhead. 



Loch Carron. 



Mean, 27,739 Crans. 



Mean, 144,003 Crans. 



Mean, 28,057 Crans. 



Total 

 Crans. 



% above 

 Mean. 



% below 

 Mean. 



Total 

 Crans. 



% above 

 Mean. 



% below 

 Mean. 



Total 

 Crans. 



% above 

 Mean. 



% below 

 Mean. 



1889 



20,069 





27-7 



167,705 



16-5 





36,882 



31-5 





1890 



7,419 





73-3 



159,986 



111 





39,782 



41-8 





1 



10,989 





60 4 



115,251 





20 : 0 



41,465 



47-8 





2 



10,037 





63-8 



157,949 



37*5 





24,108 





14 : 1 



3 



29,995 



8-1 





200,871 



39 5 





63,890 



127 : 7 





4 



15,495 





44*1 



181,953 



26 4 





34,199 



21-9 





5 



12,853 





537 



168,958 



173 





41,513 



48-0 





6 



13,155 





52-6 



166,897 



159 





26,110 





*6 : 9 



7 



14,500 





47-7 



77,847 





45 : 9 



8,762 





68-8 



8 



9,719 





65'0 



192,622 



33 ! 8 



... 



13,565 





552 



9 



23,644 





14-8 



63,821 





55 : 7 



37,418 



33 : 4 





1900 



47,590 



71 : 6 





63,276 





561 



60,816- 



116-8 





1 



47,369 



70-8 





68,124 





52-7 



31,319 



116 





2 



57,554 



107 5 





147,215 



*2 : 2 





8,307 





70 : 4 



3 



38,694 



39-5 





133,890 





7 ! 0 



18,927 





32 5 



4 



44,625 



60-9 





172,645 



19 : 9 





14,254 





49-2 



5 



45,531 



641 





161,945 



125 





2,480 





912 



6 



50,059 



80-4 





191,092 



32-7 





1,225 





95-6 



*The catch in Lochfyne during the present season (1907) is considerably above the 

 catch in 1905 and 1906, as shown by the following figures (crans) for corresponding 

 dates : — 



1903. 1901. 1905. 1906. 1907. 



(17th Oct.) (22nd Oct.) (21st Oct.) (20th Oct.) (19th Oct.) 



20,415 7633 3324 4953 13,348 



[Table. 



