of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 31 
therefore, line fishermen landed a slightly larger proportion of small cod 
than did beam-trawlers. In the case of the haddock and whiting the 
Table shows that line fishermen landed a total of 22,998|cwts. of large 
haddocks, 2061 cwts. of large whitings, and 12,173 cwts. ofkmall haddocks 
and small whitings. The beam- trawlers landed 22,315 cwts. of large 
haddocks, 1700 cwts. of large whitings, and 14,397 cwts. of small haddocks 
and small whitings. The proportions are, therefore, about 1 small fish to 
2 large ones in the case of the line fishermen, and about 2 small ones to 3 
large ones in the case of the trawlers. Of 862 cwts. of turbot landed by 
trawlers, 774 cwts. are described as large, and 88 cwts. as small, — a propor- 
tion of nearly 9 large fish to 1 small. The line fishermen landed 
146 J cwts. of turbot, of which 130J cwts. are described as [large and 16 
cwts. as small — a proportion of about 8 large fish to 1 snail one ; of 
halibut the trawlers landed 24f cwts., of which 22f were large and 2 cwts. 
small, — a proportion of 11 to L The line fishermen landed $86 J cwts. of 
halibut, 799 \ cwts. being large and 87 cwts. small, or a proportion of 
about 9 large to 1 small one. Most of the flat-fish are combined in 
these statistics ; of lemon sole, flounder, plaice, and brill, trawlers landed 
6962 cwts. and fishermen 2929 cwts. Of those landed by trawlers 6171 
were large and 791 cwts. small. The fishermen landed 2338 cwts. of 
large and 591 cwts. of small : the proportions of large to small are, there- 
fore, about 1 small to nearly 8 large in the case of the trawlers, and with 
the fishermen about 1 small to 4 large. 
It would therefore appear, so far as these statistics go, that propor- 
tionally much larger quantities of small round-fish are landed by trawlers 
than by line fishermen ; while the latter land a somewhat larger propor- 
tional quantity of small flat-fish. It must be borne in mind, however, 
that these statistics are to a large extent arbitrary. No measurements of 
the fish are made ; and as large and small fish are not always separated 
from one another for sale, the figures given can at the best be regarded 
only as approximate. The subject of the capture of immature fish by 
trawlers and line fishermen is discussed fully in a special report. 
IV. SUMMARY. 
The results of the trawling experiments of the 'Garland,' and of the 
analysis of the statistics obtained for comparison therewith, are detailed 
in the foregoing pages. 
The year 1887, following the closure of the Firth of Forth and St 
Andrews Bay, appears to have been of an exceptional character, both in 
regard to in-shore and off-shore grounds. Considering the extent of coast 
along which these experiments are carried on, and from which the 
statistics are derived, and the natural great fluctuations which everywhere 
occur in fisheries from year to year, it is evident, as Professor Huxley 
has observed, that it will be necessary to carry on the inquiry for many 
years. During 1889 the trawling experiments showed that there was a 
general diminution of fish both in the closed and open areas. This 
decrease was chiefly in round fish; to a less extent in flat fish. There 
was a general decrease in the open waters of the Firth of Forth, but to 
a less extent than in the closed area, and it was there limited to round 
fish — plaice and most other flat fish having slightly increased in numbers. 
In the closed waters of the Firth of Forth plaice, flounders, and long rouo-h 
dabs increased, while there was a decrease in lemon soles and common 
dabs. The decrease in round fish was chiefly noticeable among haddocks 
and whitings. In St Andrews Bay there was a decrease also in both the 
