CAPTURES BY LINERS AND TRAWLERS IN 1894. 83 



a balance of 1,721,831 cvvts. is left for the liners and trawlers, 

 being 49,536 cwts. less than in 1892. Of this 1,296,144 cwts. 

 were the produce of the liners (less by 95,118 cwts. than in 

 1892), and 425,687 cwts. the quantity landed by trawlers 

 (45,582 cwts. more than in 1892). While the liners, therefore, 

 showed a marked diminution in their total, the trawlers showed 

 a considerable increase. 



When the returns, however, of the fishing-boats of all kinds 

 (other than beam-trawlers) are considered, it is found that 

 there were in 1893, 363 fewer boats and vessels than in 1892, 

 and a decrease of 1689 fishermen and boys. This condition of 

 things is sufficient to account for a considerable diminution of 

 line-caught fishes, without regarding the unfavourable weather 

 of the season. Moreover, it has to be remembered that fishery 

 statistics are far from being complete, for though the returns 

 show that the quantity of fishes mentioned has certainly been 

 landed, they do not indicate those fishes which have been 

 landed and not reported. On the other hand, the number of 

 the trawlers has increased by 2 (probably powerful steam- 

 vessels) and 18 men during the year. 



In 1894 the liners brought to land 1,250,066 cwts. of round 

 fishes = £457,798, an amount exceeding the captures of the 

 previous year by 113,677 cwts., yet the increased quantity was 

 accompanied by diminished value, for the sum received was 

 £8,601 less. The greatest increase was in perhaps the most 

 important fish, viz. the haddock, which but lately had been the 

 subject of many pessimistic theories. The captures exceeded 

 those of the previous year by no less than 110,000 cwts., but, 

 from the small size of the majority, the price had decreased by 

 £3,389. The vital point, however, is the great abundance of 

 small haddocks along the eastern shores in 1894. The vari- 

 ability both in amount and value was further shown by the 

 fact that saithe (green cod) also exceeded the quantity in the 

 previous year by 21,731 cwts., but was diminished in price by 

 £1,374, while whiting was also in excess by 10,362 cwts., but 

 the value was only £586 more. Cod, again, had decreased to 

 the extent of 3,225 cwts., yet had an increased price of £1,751, 

 ling was also less by 20,773 cwts., and fell behind no less than 



6—2 



