— 44 



Within the different market-groups we get from year to year variations in 

 weight similar to what we previously remarked in the numbers, and the ex- 

 planation previously suggested as to the causes of these numerical fluctuations is 

 just as likely to be true in the case of the weights. 



I'^ig- 30- Quantities of haddock landed from the North Sea during the years 1903— 1905 

 (as per the English Fishery Statistics) with the weights in cwts. (i cwt. = 50-8 kilos) 



large 



medium 



-.-.-.-.-.- small 



size not known 



This explanation was to the effect that in the southerly half of the North 

 Sea there has been during recent years a perceptible want of fish spawned in 

 1902 and in 1903 more particularly, whereas with the 1904 accession a big 

 increase in the aggregate again took place. This explains the 

 fluctuations which the English market statistics have revealed, and 

 which have also found expression in the tables of returns of the research steamers. 

 Our material does not justify us in assuming any general numerical decrease in 



