14 



Fart III. — T IV enty- second Anmml Eqwri 



proportion. The unmarketable fishes vary in amount in several ways. 

 There are some which are never taken to market under any circumstances, 

 being inedible or at least unsaleable. The most common of these is the 

 long rough dab, which, however, is not found in any quantity in the 

 shallow inshore waters. Dog-fishes are also unmarketable in the same 

 way, and they are sometimes taken in large numbers by the trawl in the 

 deep water in the northern part of the North Sea, but much less 

 commonly in the Moray Firth or Aberdeen Bay. There are a few other 

 species occasionally brought up in the trawl which are for the same reason 

 never taken to market. But the great majority of the unmarketable fishes 

 lielong to forms which are quite edible and marketable and are rejected 

 merely because of their small size, such as small haddocks, whiting, plaice, 

 &c. In some instances the question whether a particular species is taken 

 to market or thrown overboard depends upon circumstances, irrespective 

 of the size of the fish, as, for instance, with gurnards and anglers. These 

 two forms are now, however, generally brought to market, in the latter 

 case only the tail part being made use of. The proportion of the un- 

 marketable fishes of the class referred to depends also to a very large 

 extent on the grounds fished over and the season of the year. Examples 

 of this fact are described in the following pages, as, for instance, in con- 

 nection with the plaice and haddock (p. 30, 32, 36, 42). 



In the accompanying Table I have tabulated the numbers of marketable 

 and unmarketable fishes taken in 103 hauls of the net in the Moray Firth 

 and Aberdeen Bay, and have represented the proportions of each for the 

 various species in percentages of the total. 



