of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



117 



Comparison with Inshore Grounds. 



It wil] be observed that the proportion between the different kinds of 

 fish from the deep-seca grounds differs very much from what obtains in 

 the Moray Firth and inshore waters, as indicated in the foregoing 

 pages. In order to make this clearer I subjoin the numbers of four 

 series of six hauls taken respectively —(1) In 65-68 fathoms, 65 miles 

 S.E. by E. of Sumburgh Head, >Shetland, on 3rd-4th September, 1900; 

 (2) 34 miles S. by W., from Bressay Lighthouse (about sixteen miles 

 from Fair Isle) in 65 fathoms, on 17th and 18th October, 1900; (3) in 

 Aberdeen Bay, in from seven to eighteen fathoms, on 31st October and 

 1st November, 1900; and (4) in Dornoch Firth, in eight to ten fathoms, 

 on 6th November. The comparison is limited to the fish which were 

 preserved for market, since it is, of course, only these that are included 

 in the official statistics of fish landed. The catch under No. 1 repre- 

 sents 27 hours and 10 minutes actual traAvling, under No. 2, 29| hours, 

 under No. 3, 11| hovirs, under No. 4, 21 hours 15 minutes. 



These represent only a proportion of the hauls made on the particular 

 trips, but they show the different proportion of certain species on the 

 different grounds. The abundance of cod, codling, haddock, and 

 whiting may be as great at certain times in inshore waters as offshore ; 



