of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 
185 
1. That, especially in inshore waters, immature flat-fish and round-fish 
may be captured in large numbers by the beam-trawl. 
2. That relatively more immature flat-fish than immature round-fish are 
taken. 
3. That, on the East Coast of Scotland, immature flat-fishes of all kinds 
are caught by the beam-trawl ; but especially, in regard to absolute 
numbers, immature plaice and dabs, and in regard to relative proportion 
of immature to adults (a most vital point), chiefly plaice, flounder, lemon 
sole, turbot, and brill. 
4. That very large numbers of immature cod are captured, especially in- 
shore ; also considerable quantities of immature whitings and gurnards, 
and fewer immature haddocks. 
5. That the ordinary trawl-net used by large beam-trawlers, probably, in 
ordinary circumstances, captures very few fish under 6 inches in length. 
6. That the size of the mesh of the trawl-net, per se, exerts a most im- 
portant influence on the proportion of immature fish captured. 
7. That the majority of the immature fish captured by the beam-trawl, 
as now used, would probably perish if returned to the sea. 
2. Shrimp Fishing. 
Much complaint has also been made against the various modes of shrimp 
fishing, as highly destructive to immature fish. This mode of fishing is 
carried on usually in very shallow water close to the beach, where small 
flat-fish abound ; and I think it is admitted on all hands that large 
quantities of these fish and of immature round fish are taken in shrimp- 
nets. It is said, however, that the great majority of these immature fish 
do not belong to the valuable kinds, and that they are returned to the 
water alive. 
Shrimp fishing is much more common in England than in Scotland. 
In England it is largely practised at various parts of the coast both by 
hand or push-nets, and by bearn-trawls, which in some places are dragged 
in shallow water by horses. Shrimps are also caught in bag-nets or stow- 
nets. In Scotland, the only place where shrimp fishing is carried on is in 
the Solway Firth, where about sixty boats are engaged in it. The net 
used is a beam-trawl, with a beam of about 20 feet in length, and 
the small meshes of the net are about J inch from knot to knot. 
The Fishery Board last year sent one of the naturalists (Dr J. H. 
Fullarton) to inspect the Solway shrimp fishing, and the small fish, &c, 
taken in several hauls of the shrimp-nets were subsequently sent to me by 
one of the fishermen, and were tabulated by Mr Peter Jamieson. The 
small fish in five successive hauls are here shown. 
Date. 
1889. 
Depth of 
Water in 
Feet. 
Sole. 
Plaice. 
Flounder. 
Common 
Dab. 
Whiting 
and Cod. 
Pogge. 
Sting-fish. 
No. 
Size 
in Ins. 
No. 
Size 
in Ins. 
No. 
Size 
in Ins. 
No. 
Size 
in Ins. 
No. 
Size 
in Ins. 
No. 
Size 
in Ins. 
No. 
Size 
in^Ins. 
June 6 
>, 11 
ii 20 
, 3 27 
July 10 
8-10 
3-12 
10-15 
10-12 
8-10 
4 
7 
3-6 
2f-5 
7 
62 
14 
20 
75 
3.|-6 
2-5i 
2HI 
2-6* 
2-4 
1 
1 
1 
*2 
5^ 
61 
"k 
"i 
2 
5f 
2 
4 
i 
44 
3|-6 
2 
s 
2*-3* 
16 
19 
50 
5 
5 
3,1-6 
2- 4 
2£-4f 
3- 4 
3-3£ 
3 
9 
23 
3 
2 
2|-3 
2 -3 
2Mi 
2$ 
3 
Total, . 
11 
2f-5 
176 
2-6i 
5 
5£~6f 
3 
4J-5f 
61 
2-6 
95 
2-6 
40 
2 -3£ 
Besides the fish enumerated, there were also a few pipe fish, herring 
(2 J- inches), sprats (3£ inches), crabs, young cuttlefish, young mussels, &c. 
It is clear from this table that the shrimp trawl-net captures considerable 
