of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 153 



being 2,846,842. Thus, comparing one period with the other for the 

 whole of Scotland, there has been a fractional and minute decrease. 

 During the first part of the second period, from 1896 to 1902, the 

 number of ci-abs landed was large, exceeding 3,000,000, but since 1902 

 the number was smaller, never reaching 3,000,000 in any year, and going 

 as low as 1,990,000 in 1905. 



The number landed on the East Coast in the twenty-four years was 

 64,587,381, the annual average being 2,691,141. In the years 1885-1895 

 the number amounted to 29,779,515, and the average was 2,707,228 crabs 

 per annum. In the period, 1896-1908, the total number was 34,807,866, 

 the average per annum being 2,677,528. There was thus a slight decrease 

 on the East Coast in the latter pei'iod, amounting to about I'l per cent. 

 This is accounted for by the comparatively small numbers landed in the 

 years 1905, 1906, and 1907, in each case being under two millions. 



The number landed in Orkney and Shetland in the twenty-four years 

 was 434,088, the average per annum being 18,087. In the first eleven 

 years the total was 156,400, and the average 14,218; in the last thirteen 

 years the number was 277,688, and the average 21,360 per annum. There 

 was thus a noteworthy increase in the crabs landed in the islands in the 

 second period, amounting to about 50 per cent. In 1907 the number of 

 crabs taken amounted to 27,294, and in 1908 to 31,500. 



There was also an increase in the number of crabs taken on the West 

 Coast. In the whole period the number was 3,319,948, the average per 

 annum being 138,331. In the years 1885-1895 the number was 

 1,396,556, and the average 126,960 ; in the second period the number was 

 1,923,392, and the average 147,953. There was thus an increase of about 

 16 per cent, so far as concerns quantity. 



The proportions of the crabs taken on the different coasts in the two 

 periods are indicated in the following table : — 



1885-1895. 1896-1908. 



East Coast 95 per cent. 94-1 per cent. 



Orkney and Shetland . . 0'5 ,, 0*8 „ 



West Coast 4-5 „ 5-1 „ 



With regard to values, the aggregate value of the ci-abs landed on the 

 coasts of Scotland in the twenty-four years, 1885-1908, amounted to 

 £421,198, giving an average per annum of £16,200. In the first period, 

 1885-1895, the total was £209,223, the average being £16,094 per 

 annum; in the second period, 1896-1908, the total was £211,975, while 

 the average per annum was £16,306, showing therefore a small increase of 

 1-3 per cent, in favour of the latter period. The years of greatest values, 

 as will be seen in the detailed tables, were from 1897 to 1903. 



The aggregate value on the East Coast amounted to £401,889, the 

 average per annum being £15,457. In the first period the collective 

 value was £199,062, and the aanual average £15,312 ; in the, second period 

 the total value was £202,827, and the average was £15,602. There was 

 thus a slight increase in the value in the second period, amounting to 1*8 

 per cent. 



In Orkney and Shetland the collective value for the whole period was 

 £2368, the annual average being £91 ; the average in the first period was 

 £66 per annum, and in the second period £116, showing an increase of 

 nearly 66 per cent. 



The aggregate value on the West Coast was £16,941, giving an annual 

 average of £651. In the first period the annual average was £716, and in 

 the second period it was £587, showing a decrease of 18 per cent, in value, 

 though there was an increase of nearly the same amount in quantity.^ The 

 proportion of the value in relation to the different coasts is shown in the 

 following table : — 



