of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 
7 
Through the courtesy of Messrs Joseph Johnston & Sons, Mon- 
trose, Mr Thomas Scott, F.L.S., one of the Board's naturalists, 
was allowed, as in previous years, to accompany the large and 
powerful steam- trawler, the ' Southesk,' on her visits to the East 
Coast fishing-grounds, and by this means much information, not 
otherwise procurable, has been obtained. 
In regard to the results of the ' Garland's ' trawling experiments 
last year, it was found that in St Andrews Bay and the Firth of 
Forth there was a general increase in the abundance of fish on the 
inshore grounds, but at Aberdeen Bay there was a decrease. The 
increase was specially marked in cod, haddock, and especially in 
whiting. All along the southern part of the East Coast whiting 
were caught last year in greatly increased numbers. In the closed 
waters of the Firth of Forth they were four times more numerous 
than in 1889, and in the waters outside May Island they were six 
times more abundant. This increase in whitings is no doubt owing 
to the presence in the territorial waters of the Firth of Forth in 
the autumn of 1889 of a vast shoal of young whiting, referred to 
in last year's Eeport, and which was computed to contain over 
230,000,000 of young fish. In St Andrews Bay there was also an 
augmentation in the number of flat-fish captured, especially in 
plaice and common dabs. In the Firth of Forth there was a slight 
decrease in the quantity of flat-fish taken by the ' Garland,' con- 
sisting of a decrease in plaice, lemon soles, and flounders. On the 
other hand, there was an increase in the abundance of common 
dabs and long rough dabs. It is noteworthy that dabs continue to 
increase more steadily than do most other flat-fish. It was shown 
in last year's Eeport that these fish attain maturity while still of a 
very small size, and that most of the immature individuals escape 
through the meshes of the trawl-nets. But since plaice and lemon 
soles do not reach maturity until they are much larger, immature 
specimens are captured in considerable quantities ; and this cir- 
cumstance must not be lost sight of in considering the relative 
increase or decrease of these fish. The scientific investigations 
of the Board have proved that the territorial seas constitute 
nurseries for many of the valuable food-fishes, and that the 
spawning-grounds are situated beyond the three-mile limit, where 
protection is not enforced. For example, the young whitings in 
the immense shoals of 1889 above referred to were mostly spawned 
at some distance from the coast, and gradually made their way into 
the territorial waters in search of more abundant food and better 
protection. Last year most of these fish, as they increased in size, 
migrated further offshore ; and hence the great increase in the 
capture of whitings east of May Island, as well as in the Firth of 
Forth itself. 
Special Fishery Statistics. 
The special statistics collected during 1890, in connection with 
the trawling experiments of the ' Garland ' and the proportional 
productiveness of the inshore grounds from year to year, will be 
found in detail in the present Report. There has occurred in 
recent years — since 1885 — a steady annual decrease in the number 
