Scottish East Coast Research Articles

Comparison of scottish firths and Spanish rías

A collaborative programme enables coastal problems in the Cantabrian rias of NW Spain to be compared with those of the firths of the Scottish east coast. Engineers and scientists have studied the problems of the two coastal areas and commenced joint research into problems of coastal stability, with a view to improving protection techniques currently used in the two regions.

A Partnership of Equals: Women in Scottish East Coast Fishing Communities

A Partnership of Equals: Women in Scottish East Coast Fishing Communities

A Partnership of Equals: Women in Scottish East Coast Fishing Communities

AbstractMany of the written historical accounts of the Scottish fishing industry concentrate on catch statistics, boats and their use, and the economics of fishing communities. Less has been written about the women in these same fishing communities, apart from their role as herring gutters, yet these women were often in the unusual situation, both last century and for the first half of the twentieth century, of being regarded in their own communities as of at least equal status as the men, and indeed in some families they were the dominant members of the household. Full-time fishing communities have always been regarded as different from either farming or urban communities. Fishermen have a more perilous lifestyle than most. Fisherfolk tended to live in close-knit communities and most marriages were from within that community or from another fishing community. Part of the reason for this was the role the women were expected to play. Few town-bred or farm-bred women would be prepared to take on the load ex...

Winter distribution and associated movements of northern pied wagtailsMotacilla alba yarrellii, as shown by ringing

Using ringing data, the movements of Pied Wagtails Motacilla alba yarrellii between northern Britain and their wintering areas are analysed in terms of age, distance, direction and timing. Apparent causes of death are also assessed. The analysis complements an earlier one by providing the data previously lacking for northern birds. Pied Wagtails from the British Isles north of 55° N winter in small numbers in a few locations along the Scottish east and west coast and Central Lowlands but in larger numbers in south‐west Lancashire, the Midlands and the lowlands of central and southern England. Several travel overseas to the Channel Islands, the French and Iberian Atlantic coastal fringes and into north Africa. There is no evidence of geographical‐ or age‐related stratification in the winter distribution. Up to 16 weeks of age first‐year birds are still within 40 km of their natal site, but by 18 weeks old some of those which migrate have already moved over 200 km. Adults and first‐year birds orientate in a...

North Sea Scyphomedusae; summer distribution, estimated biomass and significance particularly for 0-group Gadoid fish

Data on the by-catch of Scyphomedusae from pelagic trawls was collected during the routine ICES International 0-group Gadoid Surveys of the North Sea, in June and July of the years 1971–1986 (except 1984). These data are used to describe the distributions, abundances and biomasses of three common North Sea Scyphomedusae: Aurelia aurita (L.), Cyanea capillata (L.) and C. lamarckii (Péron & Lesuer). Information is also presented on inter-annual variability, size (umbrella diameter) frequencies and, for the Cyanea species, umbrella diameter: wet weight relationships. The general role and ecological significance of Scyphomedusae is discussed and, given the well known ‘shelter’ relationships between Scyphomedusae and certain 0-group fish, whiting ( Merlangius merlangus) and haddock ( Melanogrammus aeglefinus), in particular. The data were examined for evidence of such relationships. Aurelia aurita, although fairly widespread in the northern North Sea was virtually absent from the central North Sea but very abundant in coastal waters. This species was particularly abundant off the Scottish east coast and especially in the Moray Firth. Cyanea lamerckii was most abundant in the southern and eastern North Sea. More widespread than Aurelia, this species was also most abundant in coastal regions, particularly off the Danish west coast. Cyanea capillata, with a more northern distribution was also more widely distributed and abundant offshore. This species was most abundant in the area between the Orkney/Shetland Isles and the Norwegian Deep and in shelf waters of the north west approaches to the North Sea. As with C. lamarckii it was also, in some years, abundant off the Scottish east coast and west of Denmark. The abundance and the size frequency of the jellyfish show considerable inter-annual variability, and variability between regions of the North Sea. It is considered that hydrographic variability and differences in food supply to both medusae and to their sessile benthic polyps, are the major causes of the observed differences between years and areas. The impact of Scyphomedusae on fishing and recreational activities is discussed.

Cyclic organochlorines in the whelks Buccinum undatum and Neptunea antiqua from the North sea and the Irish sea

Abstract The body burdens of PCBs, HCB and p,p′-DDE in the whelks Buccinum undatum and Neptunea antiqua from the North Sea and the Irish Sea during early summer are reported. The patterns of individual PCB congeners were independent of the species, the size of the animals and the geographical origin. Hexachlorobiphenyls were the main congeners. Samples from the German Bight and the Liverpool Bay are more contaminated with PCBs compared to the central North Sea and the Irish Sea. Whelks from the Scottish east coast, the German Bight and the Liverpool Bay show maximum amounts of p,p′-DDE in their tissues. Highest concentration of HCB was found at the Danish coast near Esbjerg.

Ulcers associated with larval Anisakis simplex B (Nematoda: Ascaridoidea) in the forestomach of harbour porpoises Phocoena phocoena (L.)

Anisakis simplex B larvae and adults occurred in the forestomach of 7 of 10 Phocoena phocoena found drowned in cod nets in the winters (November–January) of 1977–1978, 1980–1981, 1981–1982, and 1983–1984, along the Scottish east coast. A cluster of third- and fourth-stage larvae was found in one large, crater-like ulcer in the wall of the ventral "hemisphere" of the forestomach in five porpoises. A sixth infected animal had one large ulcer bearing a larval nematode cluster, plus, at a separate site in the ventral hemisphere, an aggregation of six very small ulcers, three of which contained larvae. The remaining infected porpoise harboured a large multiple ulcer at a single site in the ventral hemisphere, each of its five craters bearing a cluster of larvae. Adult male and female nematodes were apparently "free" in the forestomach lumen. One third-stage larva of Contracaecum sp. was the only other parasite found in the gastrointestinal tract of the 10 porpoises. Whiting (Merlangius merlangus) was the dominant prey item, and may have been the source of A. simplex B infection.

John Johnsone’s an Confortable Exhortation of Our Mooste Holy Christen Faith and her Frutes: An Early Example of Scots Lutheran Piety

On account of the spread ‘in diverse countries’ of the heresies of Luther the Scottish parliament enacted in 1525 that ‘na manner of persouns, strangears that hapnis to arrive with their schippis within ony part of this realm bring with thaim ony bukes or workes of the said Lutheris, his disciples or servandes, desputt or reherss his heresies or opunzeounns bot geif it be to the confusion thereof and that be clerkis in the sculis alainerlie, under the pane of escheting of their schippis and gudes and putting of their persons in presounn. And that this act be publist and proclamit out throw this realme at all ports and burrowis of the same’. Twenty six months later this act was extended to include all the king’s lieges who were ‘assistars to sic opunzeouns’. The act of parliament of 1525 expressed the nation’s concern: it does not specifically state that Luther’s writings had already been finding their way into the Scottish east coast ports, but the extension of the act in the following year to include the king’s lieges, makes it clear that heresy was beginning to take hold. By the spring of another year Lutheranism had its first Scottish martyr, the young Patrick Hamilton, titular abbot of Fern, former student at Paris, Louvain, St Andrews, and Marburg. Support for the heretical views could not, despite oppression and persecution, be held in check. Within a decade of the passing of the act, parliament found it necessary not only to have it re-enacted but extended still farther. None was to ‘have, use, kepe or consele ony bukes of the said heretic, or contenand their doctrine and opinions bot that they deliver the samin to the ordinaries within xl days’.

The plerocercus of Grillotia erinaceus as a biological tag for haddock Melanogrammus aeglefinus in the north sea and north‐east Atlantic

Analyses of the incidence and intensity of infestation with Grillotia erinaceus plerocerci in 8228 Melanogrammus aeglefinus indicate two distinct groups of haddock at Faroe, and three groups in the area to the north and west of Scotland. In the North Sea the following four groups were recognized: (1) in the Moray Firth and (2) to the north and east of Shetland where, in both groups, incidence of infestation was consistently high; (3) an intervening area where incidence was considerably lower up to three years of age, after which it increased to about the same level as in groups (1) and (2); and (4) in the central North Sea where incidence was consistently low. Changes in the pattern of infestation with host age and with host length within single age‐groups, when considered together with conventional tagging data, suggest that many 3+ and older haddock may migrate from Scottish inshore waters via the Shetland area to the north‐eastern North Sea. The results support other studies in suggesting a northward movement of haddock along the Scottish east coast.

Algal metabolism and water pollution in the Tay region.

The river Tay receives water from an area covering over 2500 square miles of Scotland and has a discharge which is greater than that of the Severn and the Thames combined. It is, in addition, the least polluted of our major British rivers today. It thus provides a composite sample of the waters draining through much of east central Scotland, it provides a baseline for studies on other major British rivers, and with the impending upsurge in industrial activity along the Scottish east coast with the discovery of oil and gas in the North Sea, the importance of having a baseline against which future environmental changes can be measured is now a matter of urgency.

Some mechanisms for the generation of residual current flow off the Scottish East Coast

A number of current meter records obtained from positions within 40 km off the Scottish East Coast have been examined in order to determine the nature of the residual current flow in this area. It is shown that currents are generally a consequence of the local wind and externally derived forces which may be storm surge or the effect of wind outwith the region. Depending on which driving forces are dominant on a particular occasion, residual current at inshore and offshore positions may be similar or completely opposed to one another. The effects of stratification on tidal and residual flow is demonstrated.

Chemical studies on the herring (Clupea harengus). X.—histidine and free sugars in herring flesh

AbstractFree histidine was isolated from herring flesh and characterised. Its distribution in the musculature of the fish was measured, and the total content compared with that in the pilchard (Clupea pilchardus). The loss of the amino‐acid which occurs during heat‐processing was studied in relation to free sugars and sugar‐containing compounds. Measurements of the glucose content of fresh Scottish East Coast herring suggested that a maximum occurs in late June, coinciding with maximum oil content.