CHAPTER XXIII 



SKATES AND KAYS 

 The Europemi Catch in 1913 {Analysed) 



England i . 



Scotland 



Ireland 



Total United Kingdom 



Germany . 

 Holland . 



Tons. £ 



17,972 253,729 



6,774 35,817 



345 3,426 



25,091 292,972 



1,204 8,718 



1,099 12,389 



In 1906 48 per cent, of the skates came from the North Sea, 

 26 per cent, from the south-west of the British Isles, 15 per cent, 

 from the north-west of the British Isles, 3 J per cent, from 

 Iceland, 2 per cent, from France and the Bay of Biscay, and 

 1 per cent, from Portugal and Morocco. So the family has 

 a wide distribution. It is caught on each side of the 50° F. 

 line which separates the Northern from the Southern fishes, 

 but is a good deal more common to the south of that line, 

 and off Portugal and Morocco it formed no less than 20 per cent, 

 of the 24,954 tons landed in 1906. The real fact is, of course, 

 that the family of Raiidae — all of whom are classed as skates 

 and rays by the trade — range from cold-water species like the 

 Arctic ray {B. Hyperhorea) to hot -water forms. 



British Catch (Analysed) 

 The following ports landed the greatest quantities : 



2^ons. Tons. 



North Shields . . 863 Lowestoft . . .720 



Hull .... 1,682 Milford . . . 2,647 



Grimsby . . . 3,368 Fleetwood . . . 3.214 



Total (six ports) : 12,494 tons out of 17,972. 



1 In 1920 the landings were : 



Tons. £ 



England 17,843 625,534 



Scotland 6,339 81,493 



Great Britain . . . . 24,182 707,027 



