26 Part III —Twenty-jirst Annual Report 
were marketable. The number of marketable haddocks ranged from 
311 down to ninety-four, and although the proportion of the larger 
classes was greater than on the north-eastern grounds in the previous 
week, the number taken—from one to three baskets —was too small to 
make any important addition to the profits of the catch. Whitings, 
never an important item from the financial point of view, were also 
poorly represented. Cod were present in fair proportion, being repre- 
sented in most of the hauls, the number ranging from one or two to 
nineteen. Very few codling or gurnards were obtained in any of the 
hauls, but in most of the hauls cat-fishes were secured, the number vary- 
ing from one to six. There were also a few of the “long” fishes, more 
abundant in the deeper water, viz. two ling and five saithe or coal-fish, 
but no hake or tusk were caught here. Six halibut were also taken, 
all being small. 
Among the other flat-fishes, plaice were best represented—and indeed 
the Great Fisher Bank is frequented for the sake of this fish as well as 
for the haddock. They were taken in each haul, the number varying 
from eight to ninety-one, 519 altogether being secured in the nine hauls 
recorded, and they were all marketable, z.e. no small plaice were found. 
Common dabs were much scarcer ; they were taken in six of the hauls, 
the numbers varying from two to seven, and the aggregate was twenty- 
six. Lemon soles were also scarce, the total being only twelve; one or 
two were taken in seven drags. No megrims were found, but twenty- 
six long rough dabs, in six of the hauls, the number ranging from two 
to eight, and likewise four witches, one in each of four hauls. No brill 
or turbot were caught. Skates and rays were represented by one grey 
skate and twenty-two starry rays, from two to eleven being caught in 
four of the drags. Anglers also, in harmony with the paucity of fish, 
were scarce, only five being taken altogether. 
Theaggregate number of fishes taken in the nine hauls completely 
recorded, representing thirty-six hours of actual fishing, was only 4096, 
cr an average of 455:1 per haul, or 113°8 per hour, The average num- 
ber of marketable fishes taken per haul was only 317-2, the unmarketable 
averaging 137°9. The condition of this part of the Great Fisher Bank 
at this time was therefore the reverse of prolific, and contrasts strongly 
with the inshore grounds and those in the north-east, even at the least 
productive period. ‘The fish from the Fisher Bank, however, are much 
esteemed, and command good prices on the market, and the grounds 
were vigorously trawled over for a number of years; five or six years 
ago they were among the favourite places for Aberdeen trawlers. 
The aggregate number and averages of the different kinds of fish 
obtained in the nine fully recorded drags on the Fisher Bank are as 
follows :— 
Fiat FIsH. 
Lemon Common Tong 
Plaice. ‘ Witch. Rough Halibut. 
Sole. Dab. 
Dab. 
No. : ‘ 519 12 4 26 26 6 
Ay. per haul, 57:7 13 0°4 2°9 2:9 07 
Av. per hour, 14:4 03 O1 07 0-7 0:2 
