XIII.—The Fisheries of the Forth–Tay Estuaries

Abstract

SynopsisThe most valuable species are Nephrops, salmon, haddock, lobster and sprat. Demersal fish, haddock, whiting, cod, plaice and lemon sole, are mainly taken by seine-netters and light trawlers from 40 to 70 ft overall length. Landings of cod and lemon sole have declined, as has fishing effort. The estuarine environment is especially important for plaice and cod, which spend their early life in coastal waters. Pelagic fish, herring, sprat and mackerel, are unimportant but occasionally pair-trawling for sprats occupies up to 75 boats. Nephrops trawlers, from 40 to 55 ft, fish mainly west of May Island. The Nephrops stocks are heavily exploited. Creel fishing for lobster and crab supports 85 boats. The lobster stocks are intensively fished and landings have decreased. Periwinkles and mussels are gathered but shrimps, though present, are not exploited. Landings of salmon and sea trout, mainly by net and coble from the estuaries, are important chiefly in the Tay. The fisheries have changed dramatically in the past century. Those for herring, oysters and queens have ceased whilst new fisheries have developed for Nephrops and sprat.