— 24 - 



At area C (including Rona and Sule Skerry (fig. 30) we appear to have a double 

 annual maximum: first, and chiefly, about December or January, and secondly about 

 July or August. 



From these illustrative cases, and from a study of such statistics as we possess for 

 all the other areas, we arrive at the conclusion that Extra Large Haddock are chiefly 

 abundant in summer and autumn in all areas adjacent to the Scotch coast, from Shet- 

 land southwards, the dates being a little later as we proceed south, but in spring in the 

 middle areas of the North Sea. To judge from what evidence we have for area XXVII, 

 which includes the Holmen Ground, and from what Professor Henking tells us of the 

 Skagerrack, there is likewise in that neighbourhood a summer maximum, and southward 



Fig. 29. Extra Large Haddock. Area XIX 



Area XXIV 



thereof, fromjthe Danish coast to the Fisher Bank, we can detect an autumn increase. 

 There is an autumn and winter maximum also off' the north-west of Scotland. 



In the extreme northern regions of our map, (VI to VIII) our statistics are in all 

 cases extremely defective, for fishing seldom goes on there, except in the spring months. 

 We know that large Haddock are then very abundant there; we have some little evidence 

 of their less abundance in autumn, and in the areas immediately to the southward we 

 have better evidence that the maximum takes place in spring. Leaving this most noi'thern 

 region in some doubt, we may safely say that over all the rest of the North Sea areas 

 with which we deal, other than those above mentioned, the largest Haddock are chiefly 

 abundant about the months of February and March. These facts are illustrated on Plate I. 



