16 Part IT. —Twenty-third Annual Report 
hauls were made there. The first was imperfect. being a ‘ foul” shot, 
owing to a turn in the net, and only 127 marketable fishes were secured, 
mostly plaice and haddocks ; the depth was from about 40 to 43 fathoms. 
In the next haul on the same ground, in 40 to 43 fathoms, lasting four 
hours and five minutes, 324 fishes were taken—169 being marketable and 
155 unmarketable. Most consisted of haddocks and plaice ; there were 
also 14 gurnards and 31 dog-fishes. A third haul for four hours and 
ten minutes, in from 28 to 40 fathoms, was still less productive, the total 
being 250 fishes, 175 being marketable and 75 unmarketable. The 
numbers of haddocks and plaice of the various classes according to 
size, in the two hauls were these :— 
Ist Ind 3rd 4th Total 
Haddock 5 56 10 62 133 
Plaice 20 46 46 — 112 
The following Table gives the marketable and unmarketable fishes 
caught in the two hauls, the time of fishing being 8 hours and 15 
minutes : 
Cod, Codling. Haddock. Whiting. Gurnard. 
I 2 4 1383 - 
II 9 112 32 30 
Total 2 13 245 32 30 
ee LR SL A 
Plaice Lemon Common Skate Dog-fish 
; Dab. Dab. : oS 
I 112 58 35 - 
II 16 31 
Total 112 58 35 16 31 
Dunnet Bay was then tried, and a haul taken in 30 to 36 fathoms. 
After towing for an hour and three-quarters the net caught, and on being 
brought up it was found that the ground rope was broken, and a good 
deal of the net missing ; what was left contained five marketable fishes. 
The vessel accordingly returned to the Moray Firth and started fishing 
south of Lybster, on the grounds off the Ord of ‘Caithness. The wind 
was still from the south-west and very squally. The first haul, for 47 
hours, was made in 23 and 24 fathoms, and 405 fishes were secured, of 
which 170 were marketable and 235 unmarketable. Among the former 
were 19 cod, 107 haddocks, and 78 plaice, as well as some lemon dabs 
and common dabs. The second haul for the same time on the same 
ground, in 23 to 25 fathoms, was slightly better, 446 fishes being taken— 
169 marketable and 277 unmarketable. Haddocks, plaice, and dabs were 
the chief fish represented. Other six hauls were taken on this ground, 
the catches being under those described, and in one of the hauls the trawl 
net was practically destroyed, nothing coming up but the ground rope. 
In the seven hauls, the duration of which was 29 hours and 35 minutes, 
