of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



Ill 



Steaming to tlie south coast of the Firth, a number of hauls were 

 then taken in Burghead Bay with much better results. The wind was 

 N.E., but the swell had much abated. In eleven hauls, of which com- 

 plete records were made, representing 49 hours 5 minutes actual 

 trawling, and in depths vnrying from seven to twenty-four fathoms, 

 10/202 fishes were caught, of which 8399 were marketable. The 

 catches were noteworthy for the number of fine cod taken, and for the 

 brill and turbot, and also for the number of anglers and herrings. 



Three marketable catfishes were also taken. The cod were feeding on 

 the herrings, and herrings, as well as whitings, were found in the 

 stomachs of the anglers opened. It will be observed that in these hauls 

 forty gurnards were caught, this fish being rare inshore in winter. 

 Some hundreds of the plaice enumerated above were brought alive to 

 the hatchery pond in tubs, on the 24th and 26th December, the vessel 

 returning to Aberdeen for the purpose. Their weight, which is not 

 included below, was estimated at about 10 cwts. The total catch from 

 the Moray Firth on this trip, with the above exception, between the 

 19th and 25th, amounted to 206 1 cwts., which realised the large total of 

 c£457 15s. The "live" cod were very fine fish, and brought a high 

 price. The particulars (in cwts.) ai-e these : — 



\ 



In one of the hauls in Burghead Bay, which was made for an hour 

 in 7 1 to 18 fathoms, the small-meshed net was placed around the cod- 

 end, and 1336 small fishes were taken, namely, 610 whitings, 75 young 

 cod, 87 herrings, 536 sprats, 25 common dabs, and three long rough 

 dabs. 



