of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



93 



Four thornback rays, thirteen starry rays, eight grey skates, and two 

 sandy rays were also taken, of which only two thornbacks and six grey 

 skates were marketable. 



Besides complete records of these five hauls, the numbers of market- 

 able fishes obtained in other nine hauls, occupying thirty-seven hours' 

 actual trawling, were ascertained, the total marketable fishes in the 

 fourteen hauls, representing fifty hours' trawling, being as follows : — 



Thei'e were also fifteen grey skates and three thornbacks. Most of the 

 cod, the halibvit and megrims, were got in the deeper water (14 to 20 

 fathoms) in the northern part of the bay. The scarcity of haddocks 

 was marked, the fourteen hauls producing less than a single haul often 

 yielded in the previous autumn and winter. 



On the night of the 31st May the ves.sel began to trawl in the Moray 

 Firth, and during the following five days trials were made at various 

 places. Two hauls were taken off Lossiemouth, one in from 12 to 16 

 fathoms, and the other further off" in 24 fathoms. The former, 

 occupying three hours, yielded only 290 marketable fishes — viz., 274 

 haddocks, 10 cod, one brill, one lemon sole, four common dabs, and not 

 a single plaice. There were also 8i baskets of " offal," consisting chiefly 

 of gurnards. The second haul, also for three hours, produced only 168 

 fishes, of which 84 were marketable, comprising 47 haddocks and 23 

 plaice. A third haul was taken further westwards in Burghead Bay, in 

 from five to fourteen fathoms, and the catch was also small, comprising 

 396 fishes, of which 229 were marketable. Only two haddocks, and no 

 whitings, were caught, but tliere were 193 plaice, of which 186 were 

 marketable. A fourth haul was taken for an hour in Cromarty Firth, 



