28 
Part III. — Eighth Annual Report 
round-fish, and a smaller quantity of flat-fish, in the northern section of 
the coast in 1889 than they did in 1888. In the southern section — 
where trawling has for some years been prohibited in the greater portion 
of the territorial waters — the line-fishermen landed less round-fish in 1889 
than in 1888, but a considerably larger quantity of flat-fish. In 1889, in 
the northern section of the coast, beam-trawlers landed larger quantities 
of both round-fish and flat-fish, and in the southern section smaller 
quantities of both round and flat-fish. The general results of the statistics 
referring to this subject are graphically represented on Plate II. 
2. Statistics showing the Quantities op Line caught Fish 
obtained from the territorial areas where trawling is 
prohibited. 
In Tables G., H. (p. 137) are given the monthly quantities of fish 
caught by line and net within the territorial waters of a large portion of 
the East Coast, viz., from North Berwick, on the south side of the Firth of 
Forth, to Skateraw, a few miles south of Aberdeen ; that is to say, in the 
Stonehaven, Montrose, and Anstruther districts, and the greater part of 
the Leith district. The monthly and yearly averages per boat for each 
kind of fish are also given. 
The whole of the territorial waters are now closed to beam -trawling ; 
but this part of the coast was closed in successive portions, as described on 
p. 22. 
These statistics therefore serve to show the result of the closure of 
successive portions of the territorial waters upon their productiveness to 
line fishermen ; and will, in future years, allow most valuable comparison 
to be made as to the productiveness of the territorial waters from which 
trawling is completely excluded. 
The total quantity of fish caught by line in the territorial area under 
consideration in 1888 and 1889 is shown in Table H. (p. 155). 
In the four districts in 1888, 127,137 J cwts. were caught, or an average 
of 2*95 cwts. per 'shot,' in 1889 the total quantity was 129,965J cwts., 
or an average of 3*02 cwts. per ' t 'shot.' There was therefore a general 
increase of fish in the territorial waters. This increase occurred in 
Anstruther, Montrose, and Stonehaven districts ; but especially in the two 
latter. In the Leith district there was a very slight decrease (from 2*43 
cwts. per 'shot' to 2*40 cwts.). The average per 'shot' in the Montrose 
district was 3*953 in 1889, as compared with 3*712 in 1888. When the 
quantities of the different kinds of fish are considered, it appears that the 
increase was due to an increased catch of cod in 1889 in all the districts, 
and to an increase of whiting in the Stonehaven district. In 1888 the 
average per ' shot ' for cod was 0*68 cwts. ; in 1889 it was 0*94 cwts. There 
was a decrease of haddocks in all the districts, the average per * shot ' for 
the year was 1*26 cwts. in 1888 and 1*02 cwts. in 1889. Whitings also 
decreased slightly in all the districts except Stonehaven, where there was 
an increase. The yearly average in 1888 was 0*17 cwts. per 'shot'; in 
1889 it was 0"20 cwts. Lemon soles, flounders, and dabs, which are classed 
together, decreased from an average per ' shot ' of 0*20 cwts. in 1888 to an 
average of 0'15 in 1889. The decrease was most marked in Anstruther 
district, but it also occurred in the Leith and Stonehaven districts. In 
the Montrose district there was a slight increase. Skate and turbot are 
also classed together. They showed an increase in 1889 as compared with 
1888, the averages for the two years being 0*01 cwts. per 'shot' in 1888 
and 0'02 cwts. per 'shot ' in 1889. The increase was most marked in the 
