of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 15 
While all the plaice were marketable, there were none of medium size, 
and none large; all were small. The majority of the haddocks, on the 
other hand, were large or medium, viz., 330 large, 109 mediums, and 
54 small or thirds. 
In the Moray Firth the first haul was made on the 17th, off Lybster, 
in about 25 fathoms, a strong breeze blowing from the south-west. 
The number of fishes obtained in the four hours’ drag was 352, of 
which 206 were marketable and 146 unmarketable. The catch com- 
prised 20 cod, 146 haddocks, and 128 plaice; all the haddocks 
except 46 small were unmarketable, and most of the plaice were 
also small. The next haul was made in rather deeper water, 34 to 36 
fathoms, a little farther off, and a rather better catch was got, viz. 522 
fishes, of which 330 were marketable. Haddocks and plaice were again 
most numerous—315 and 162 respectively—and they were, as a rule, 
larger, especially the plaice, 112 being either large or medium. Other 
seven drags were taken off Lybster in from 23 to 35 fathoms, with as a 
rule, poor results, though the weather had improved and the sea was 
smooth. Omitting one of these, in which the net was split and only 108 
fishes secured, the total number of fishes caught in the thirty-three hours 
and ten minutes fishing was 3478, of which 2005 were marketable and 
1473 unmarketable. The largest total number taken in any one haul 
was 522; the largest number marketable in any haul was 330, and the 
lowest 118. Haddocks and plaice formed the bulk of the fish caught, 
the former numbered 1898, of which rather more than half were market- 
able ; the latter numbered 875, all of which were marketable. The total 
of the marketable haddocks and plaice according to size was as follows :— 
Ist Ind 3rd 4th Total 
Haddock 63 80 46 780 969 
Plaice 118 387 342 28 875 
The accompanying Table gives the particulars of the marketable and 
unmarketable fishes of the eight hauls :—- 
Cod. |Codling.| Haddock.| Whiting.| Coal-fish.|Cat-fish.| Brill. | Plaice. 
I 29 67 969 : 2 2 2 875 
1 - 58 929 204 
Total 29 125 1,898 204 2 2 2 875 
Long B 
Da” | Witeh. | Come Hough j/ Herring, Starry | gkate. | Angler. 
Ray. 
if 39 2 - - - 3 12 3 
Il, = - 254 7 1 - 11 9 
Total 39 2 254 7 1 3 23 12 
On the 18th, owing to the comparatively poor catches on the grounds 
off Lybster, the vessel left for the north coast to try Sandside Bay, but 
the wind in the Pentland Firth was so strong that it was forced to 
return, On the following night Sandside Bay was reached and three 
