of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



9 



These figures show how great has been the progressive dechne in 

 recent years in the quantities of fish taken by hne within the 

 closed waters of the Moray Firth, notwithstanding the benefits 

 accruing from the closure. The (juantity landed last year was the 

 lowest throughout the i)eriod of eight years during which these 

 statistics have been collected, and 19,392 cwts. less than in 1900. 



In three of the districts — namely, T.ybster, Helmsdale, and 

 Banff — all the line-caught fish landed were caught within the 

 closed waters. In the other cases a varying proportion of the line 

 fish landed was derived from other areas. 



The decrease in the quantity was shared by each of the seven 

 districts except one — viz., Wick — where there was a slight increase 

 in the total. The greatest decline in quantity was exhibited in 

 the three districts on the south coast — Banff, Buckie, and Findhorn. 



With respect to the various kinds of fish taken by line within 

 the closed area, the quantities and averages for last year and the 

 preceding four years are as follow : — 



The decline in the quantity of haddocks was very great, the 

 decrease amounting last year to 15,614 cwts. ; and each year has 

 shown a corresponding fall compared with the preceding year. 

 In 1895, the quantity caught by line in the closed area was 

 178,370 cwts. The decrease of the annual catch in the seven 

 years is thus equal to 139,097 cwts. The catch of cod 

 was much more steady, the decline being small, viz. 713 cwts., 

 but in previous years the (quantity was very much greater. Ling 

 showed an increase from 2392 to 3247 cwts., and the quantity of 

 whiting was also somewhat greater than in the preceding year, 

 and there was also an increase in halil uit and skate. The quantity 

 of " liounder, plaice, and brill " was rather less, viz. 3639 cwts., as 

 against 4242 cwts. The quantity of turbot returned as caught by 

 line in the Moray Firth last year was 9 cwts., as against 4 cwts. in 

 the preceding year, and 60 cwts. in 1899 ; and there were 11 cwts. 

 of lemon soles as compared with 4 cwts. 



