INVESTIGATIONS IN MORAY FRITH, 1897. 207 



on the inner stations, and remarkably uniform in its average, 

 which was 8 in four years, and 5 in the fifth (1896). Whitings 

 on the other hand were variable and few, and the same may be 

 said for hake, ling, turbot, brill, grey skate, sandy ray and sail- 

 flukes. Flounders were absent. The most frequent skate was 

 the starry ray, so abundant in deep water. Anglers were more 

 numerous than on the inner stations. 



In surveying the averages on the several stations (VII. to 

 XVI.) the ordinary variations are evident. Station VII., off 

 Tarbet Ness, maintaining from the first a fairly high average, 

 stands at the head with an average of 392 per haul for all kinds 

 of fishes. Station VIII., in the same region, but further sea- 

 wards, follows with an average of 882, yet in 1894 and 1895 

 the two highest averages (624 and 614) occur on this ground. 

 The others appear in the following order of averages, IX., XV., 

 XVI., XIV., X., XII., XI., and XIIL, the average for which was 

 only 134, or about half that for all the stations, viz. 251. 

 Commencing with a total average of 238 the series concluded 

 with one of 217. The former is made up of 122 saleable and 

 115 unsaleable, the latter of 105 saleable and 111 unsaleable, 

 that is to say, a diminution in both. Such reduction, however, as 

 the general average shows, is as much due to the usual variations 

 as to any other cause, fishes of all kinds being probably about 

 as numerous at the end as the beginning. 



On the 7th and 8th of April, 1898, six hauls in a commercial 

 trawler^ were made outside the limits of the Moray Frith, 

 resulting in a total of 5286 fishes, or 881 per haul, a contrast to 

 the indifferent work of the "Garland" within it (Tables XV. and 

 XVL). Of this number 4914, or 819 per haul, were saleable, and 

 372, or 62 per haul, were unsaleable. It has to be remembered 

 that this work was carried on in the open sea in the midst of 

 numerous trawlers (upwards of twelve in sight, probably from 

 12 to 20) — all eagerly following the same pursuit. Yet this 



^ For this courtesy the author is indebted to Bailie Pyper, of Aberdeen. An 

 otter-trawl was used. It is a noteworthy fact that, since April, this vessel has 

 been manned by a crew of liners from Torry and Cellardyke, and they are doing 

 profitable work both for themselves and the owners. Moreover, Peterhead, 

 Fraserburg, Hopeman, and Wick give signs of moving trawlwards. 



