330 REMARKS ON TRAWLING. 
single night. At present» the takes range, per week, from 100 to 
140 boxes of haddocks and flat-fishes, besides cod, coal-fishes, and 
eurnards. Plaice are said to be rather scarce, even lemon-dabs 
being more abundant. For the night of the 29th May 18 boxes 
of haddocks and flat-fish were landed, besides cod and ling. For 
each box of good haddocks (7 stones) 16s. were obtained—a much 
lower price than in Aberdeen, where, however, the box was heavier 
(8 stones or more). The “catch” for the night was about a ton in 
all. A small liner, with five men on board, which went out between 
9 and 10 a.m. on the 29th, landed at 5 p.m. (i.e. in 8 hours) 
$ box of large, } box of medium, 2 boxes of small haddocks, many 
about 9 inches long; 1 lemon-dab, 2 very fine cod, and 4 codling, 
and this though their lines were “ shot’’ in broad daylight. The 
fishing-ground was from 8 to 10 miles off. This is a small “ catch,” 
but the circumstances under which it was made were not favour- 
able. There can be no doubt that the entire Hastern coast abounded 
with multitudes of small haddocks, and that these have been captured 
in immense numbers by both liners and trawlers. 
The best trawling ships, which are about 30 in number, at 
Aberdeen at present chiefly frequent the Great Fisher Bank, about 
200 miles off, and from 380 to-40 fathoms in depth, it being a 
general opinion amongst fishermen that this, and up to 60 fathoms, 
is the most favourable depth for their pursuit, for they think that 
in deep water (100 to 175 fathoms) they get only conger, halibut, 
and skate; and elsewhere, as off the coast of Portugal, only sharks 
are procured at 500 fathoms. Yet the Rev. W. 8. Green, off the 
west coast of Ireland, got “ witches,” ling, haddocks, and conger 
at 170 fathoms, and skate and forkbeard at 500 fathoms. On this 
ground (Great Fisher Bank), which is about 120 miles from east to 
west, and from 60 to 80 miles from north to south (a larger area 
than the enclosed region of the Moray Firth), the “catches”? of 
these trawlers vary from 80 to 180 boxes or more, consisting of 
plaice, haddocks, turbot, and other fishes, which are procured in 
from 8 to 13 days, including the time spent on the voyage. Since 
the Moray Firth was closed, these ships, therefore, find it remunera- 
tive to undertake this long journey, and bring their fishes preserved 
in ice to the market in Aberdeen. They do not seem, however, 
to find it so profitable to fish in the waters near the Scottish shore. 
In the same way, the powerful ships which proceed to Iceland bring 
from 200 to 400 boxes of fishes in about 14 days. The plaice pro- 
cured in this region are recognised by the dark spots; and as 
these, the haddocks, cod, and other forms have been “ gutted”? and 
preserved in ice, they do not have so attractive an appearance as 
those caught by the liners, 
