of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 55 
ABERDEEN Bay. Moray FIRtu. 
Duration Codling. Duration Codling. : 
of Cod. |_| Total. of Cod. |———— | Total. 
Fishing. I. Il. Fishing. is 1a 
H, Me. He i. 
January, § 10| 4:4.| o2 | O2 | 48 7 86 50) 40 | 82 | 71 | 193 
Meébruary, || 4 | 0:2) || 8:2: 0:0 | 3:5 75 Dl aca | Bb) [PP OS Sez 
March, -} 12 51149 | 27-1 0:0 | 41°9 65 4on 8:9 4:8 0-4 | 14°3 
April, 
May, -| 16 35| 2-4 | 06 
wane; e520) — | 15) || O- 
Julhy  al al” ee oss sok 
August, - 
Sept, -| 9 54] 0-4 | 0-9 
October, 28 10} 0°5 }-23°3 
November} 32 35] 1°'8 06 
December it 30 ; 1:0 
158 16] 3:0 | 6:8 
Per cent. of total, | 25°5 | 58-9 
It will be observed that the number of cod visiting the inshore 
grounds in the winter months is considerably greater than in summer, 
although the averages for corresponding months do not agree in the two 
areas. This, however, could not be expected, inasmuch as the quantity 
of fishing in different months differed in the two areas, and in the Moray 
Firth the hauls offshore are combined with those in the bays. The 
absence of information for April in the Moray Firth is regrettable, but 
the high average there for March was caused partly by considerable 
numbers being taken on Smith Bank, where spawning occurs, and partly 
by large catches in the Dornoch, where herrings and sprats were present 
at the time. The small proportion of the unmarketable codlings is 
noteworthy, amounting in Aberdeen Bay to 15°5 per cent. and in the 
Moray Firth to 18-7 per cent. of the total. The larger marketable 
codlings, ranging from about a foot up to the cod in size, constitute in 
both areas the greater part of those captured, the percentage in the 
Moray Firth being 46-2, and in Aberdeen Bay 589. They, like the 
cod, were also most abundant in the winter months, and, like them also, 
scantily represented in summer. At this period they are probably to be 
found in greater numbers offshore where the herrings are. 
In the eight hauls made at the Dog Hole, off Aberdeen, in from 
fifty-five to seventy fathoms, 263 cod and codlings were taken, twenty- 
two being cod, 156 marketable codlings and 85 unmarketable; the 
percentages are respectively 83, 59°3, and 32:3, and the average per 
hour’s fishing 2°3, 16-4, and 0-9 the average for all classes being 27°6. 
The hauls were made in May, June, July, August, November (two), 
December, and January, and the averages for these months are as 
follows :— 
