-
112
INVESTIGATIONS IN sr
BAY, 1887._
-'
The latter alone in such an exceptional year as 1887 seems to
be sufcient to account for the increase, as will subsequently be
shown. - On the other hand, a Very large. number of plaice were
removed from the bay by the lines of the shertnen, who, being
_
.
undisturbed, kept relays of lines (often three sets) at work by'
'
day and night _in the early part of the year.
They observed,
with truth, that already (March) they were obtaining better
takes of at shes, and stated their belief that in a few years . -
the inshore grounds would regain their former richness, thereby
meaning that the larger shes, which they afrmed they
'_
_
formerly caught, would again be abundant.
It is doubtful,
however, if due attention was given to the fact that they ob—
—.
,
tained the larger supplies by special exertions (even ”collecting '
1
.
lob—worlns by torchlight), exertions which they had been pre’
.
vented from employing, for at least t‘wenty years, and then the
»
'
maximum for each boat was two sets of lines.
_
-
'
In surveying the stations where the saleable’ shes were
—
captured, the inner (Station
skirting the sandy beach,
while furnishing only 24.« plaice in May, gave no less than 581
-
in June, 55 -in August and none in October.
The unsaléable
-food—shes were grduped differently, none occurring on Station
.
IV. in May and June, While in August and October there were
_
286 and 757 respectively.
The distribution of the dabs— was
_
more
equable, but still with a, tendency in the unsaleable to
_
'—
increase in June and August, whereas the saleable were most
numerous in May. It is not easy to formulate the principle, if
-
any, on which these variations rest.
It might be said that in
,
May the smaller plaice of the season had not had time to affect
.
the captures, being too far in_shore and too*smäl——beœming .
Ÿ
greatly in evidence in June, August and October, but the
irregularity of the gures forbid such conclusions.
Nor does a
consideration of the gures suggest that, _as the reporters for
_
:
the Fishery Board state, the great increase in 1887 is m0st
,
marked on the inner stations, except'in the case of dabs.
The
increase in the number of lemon-dabs in the outer Station ,(V-)
'is probably due to its being nearér their adult habitat.
In 7
regard to the other shes, the increase in grey skate was
marked, and saleable, and especially the unsaleable, haddooks
112
INVESTIGATIONS IN sr
BAY, 1887._
-'
The latter alone in such an exceptional year as 1887 seems to
be sufcient to account for the increase, as will subsequently be
shown. - On the other hand, a Very large. number of plaice were
removed from the bay by the lines of the shertnen, who, being
_
.
undisturbed, kept relays of lines (often three sets) at work by'
'
day and night _in the early part of the year.
They observed,
with truth, that already (March) they were obtaining better
takes of at shes, and stated their belief that in a few years . -
the inshore grounds would regain their former richness, thereby
meaning that the larger shes, which they afrmed they
'_
_
formerly caught, would again be abundant.
It is doubtful,
however, if due attention was given to the fact that they ob—
—.
,
tained the larger supplies by special exertions (even ”collecting '
1
.
lob—worlns by torchlight), exertions which they had been pre’
.
vented from employing, for at least t‘wenty years, and then the
»
'
maximum for each boat was two sets of lines.
_
-
'
In surveying the stations where the saleable’ shes were
—
captured, the inner (Station
skirting the sandy beach,
while furnishing only 24.« plaice in May, gave no less than 581
-
in June, 55 -in August and none in October.
The unsaléable
-food—shes were grduped differently, none occurring on Station
.
IV. in May and June, While in August and October there were
_
286 and 757 respectively.
The distribution of the dabs— was
_
more
equable, but still with a, tendency in the unsaleable to
_
'—
increase in June and August, whereas the saleable were most
numerous in May. It is not easy to formulate the principle, if
-
any, on which these variations rest.
It might be said that in
,
May the smaller plaice of the season had not had time to affect
.
the captures, being too far in_shore and too*smäl——beœming .
Ÿ
greatly in evidence in June, August and October, but the
irregularity of the gures forbid such conclusions.
Nor does a
consideration of the gures suggest that, _as the reporters for
_
:
the Fishery Board state, the great increase in 1887 is m0st
,
marked on the inner stations, except'in the case of dabs.
The
increase in the number of lemon-dabs in the outer Station ,(V-)
'is probably due to its being nearér their adult habitat.
In 7
regard to the other shes, the increase in grey skate was
marked, and saleable, and especially the unsaleable, haddooks