0/ the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



95 



June the vessel steamed round Duncansby Head and shot the trawl in 

 the afternoon in Thurso Bay, and towed it around in from ten to 

 twenty-five fathoms for four hours. The catch was very poor, consist- 

 ing of 115 fishes, of which 53 Avere marketable — viz., one cod, one 

 haddock, two catfish, twenty-two plaice, and 27 common dabs. Up to 

 this time the weather liad been very favourable, 1)ut a strorg breeze 

 from the south-west arose, and the vessel remained at iScrabster until 

 the following morning, when it steamed to Smith Bank in the Moray 

 Firth, where two hauls were taken. The first, in twenty-two fathoms, 

 lasted an hour, and the catch consisted of 333 fishes, of which 181 were 

 marketaljle. The second haul, on the west edge, occupying four hours, 

 yielded 539 fishes, of which 374 were marketable and 165 unmarket- 

 able. The record of the two hauls is as follows : — 



This was poor fishing, and the vessel returned to Aberdeen Bay and 

 made better hauls there, as above described. 



The quantity of fish landed at Aberdeen as a result of the eight days' 

 work in territorial and closed waters was 127^ cwts., which brought 

 £128 2s. They were as follows (in cwts.) : — 



Cod. 



Cod- 

 line:- 



20| 



Saithe. 



Had- 

 dock. 



Whit- 

 ing. 



14i 



Tur- 



bot. 



Hali- 

 but. 



i 



Brill. 



li 



Lem- 

 ons. 



Plaice. 



53i 



Dabs. 



24 



Skate. 



Cat- 

 fish. 



No foreign trawlers were observed at this time working within the 

 Moray Firth. 



II. 



On 13th and 14th June, four hauls were made by the steam-trawler 

 " Strathcona " in Aberdeen Bay, in from six to fourteen fathoms ; in 

 the last of these, which was for four hours in from six to eight fathoms, 

 ofi" the Black Dog, the net was full of little else than jelly-fishes, from 

 among which six small plaice, about a dozen dabs, two haddocks, and 

 about ^ of a basket of whitings were picked out. The records of the 

 fish in the other hauls, which occupied 7^^ hours, were imperfect ; but 

 the quantities of marketable fishes, in cwts., of the foiu' drags (occupying 

 \\\ hours) were as follows :^Cod |, haddock 3^, whiting 5, plaice 1|, 

 dabs h, the total being 11:^ cwts., which realised £10 14s. Gd. One black 

 sole, \2k inches long, was taken in one of the drags. 



III. 



The next trip was made in the steam-trawler " Strathearn," from 

 28th June to 5th July, and the results in regard to the quantity of fish 

 taken were also poor. The first haul was made outside the territorial 

 waters, in the deep water off Aberdeen — known locally to fishermen as 

 the " Dog Hole " — eleven miles S.S.E., in 65 fathoms. One hour's drag 

 here yielded 1198 fishes, of which 349 were marketable, 225 being 



