370 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
quantities of immature fish are uselessly destroyed, and also that many 
of the ancient fishing grounds have been and are greatly deteriorated 
and have ceased to be productive, and we are of opinion that the court 
should communicate with Her Majesty’s Government, urging that legis- 
lative steps be promptly taken to remedy these evils.” 
On the other hand several eminent scientists have claimed that it is 
quite impossible for man to materially influence the supply of fish life 
in the ocean. And it is a singular fact that almost at the very time 
(winter of 1883-84) when the Scotch fishermen (chiefly those engaged in 
line fishing) were testifying before a royal commission, and stating with 
scarcely a dissenting voice, that the system of beam-trawl fishing was 
ruining the inshore grounds to such an extent as to make them almost 
worthless, fish of all kinds should be found off the Scottish coast in 
numbers not equaled for many years. Mr. T. F. Robertson-Carr, writ- 
ing under date of February 12, 1884, says: 
“Both trawler and line fishermen have had heavy catches of cod, 
ling, haddock, and flat fish ; both as to size and quality all are agreed 
that this season’s fish are rarely surpassed.” 
The following clipping from the Edinburgh “Scotsman” of February 
21, 1884, is corroborative of Mr. Carr’s statement. Under the heading 
of “Remarkable Success of the Winter’s Fishing on the Scottish 
Coasts,” it says : 
“ At the last meeting of the Scottish Fishery Board returns from the 
various districts were presented, showing that unprecedented success 
had attended the prosecution of the winter fisheries on certain parts of 
the Scottish coasts. In the Eyemouth district no less than 92 tons of 
haddocks were caught in one week, the value of which was £1,300. 
The average earniugs reached nearly £45 per boat, and during the 
season the total quantity of haddocks landed by 30 boats was computed 
at 924 tons, realizing to the fishermen something like £12,066. This, 
it is estimated, would give an average yield and value per boat proba- 
bly exceeding that for the corresponding period of any previous year. 
The Montrose fishermen met with similar success — the haddock fishing 
in that district having been rarely, if ever, so remunerative. In one 
week some of the crews realized from £36 to £45 per boat. 1 The enor- 
mous hauls obtained for some time have not, however, been confined 
to haddocks. In the Anstruther district there were 12,365 crans of her- 
rings landed in one week, during which 3,400 telegrams were dispatched 
and 800 fish wagons loaded. At Wick, in one week there were landed, 
in addition to an estimated catch of 941 crans of herrings, immense quan- 
tities of whitefish, comprising about 16,443 cod and ling, 690 saithe, 
10f tons of plaice, 2J tons of haddocks, 2J tons of halibut, 3J cwt. of 
brill, 4J cwt. of soles, 760 skate, etc.” 
Though the above would seem to throw considerable doubt upon the 
correctness of statements which go to show the decrease in the abund- 
1 The crews alluded to here number seven persons to each boat. 
