STATISTICAL METHODS 3 



that time the fishery statistics of the British Isles had not been 

 collected in a systematic manner with the exception of Scotland. 

 It is doubtful whether the returns for England, Wales and Ireland 

 are even approximately correct for 1885, but as that was the year 

 in which the first attempt was made to give an ofiicial return of 

 the value of the fisheries the figures are quoted. 



1885. Weight and Value of Fisis Landed in British Isles^ 



Weight (tons). Vahie (£). Average {£). 



England and Wales . . 320,000 3,957,000 12-4 per ton 

 Scotland .... 236,000 1,476,000 6-3 „ 

 Ireland .... 24,000 643,000 27-02 „ 



Total . . . 580,000 6,076,000 



Broadly speaking, the weight of fish landed in the British Isles 

 in 1885 was, exclusive of shellfish, estimated at 600,000 tons. The 

 latest returns of sea fishing in a normal year are those for 1913, 

 from which it will be seen that in thirty years the weight and value 

 of sea fish landed in the British Isles has more than doubled. 



Total . . . 1,232,837 14,629,342 



A question of considerable interest is that which concerns itself 

 with the number and kind of vessels comprising the British sea 

 fishing fleet, together with the men who form the crews of these 

 vessels. Every fishing boat engaged in commercial sea fishing from 

 the British Isles should be registered, and should bear, when in 

 commission, conspicuous letters and numbers, the former denoting 

 the port of registration. Fishing boats are supposed to conform to 

 certain detailed instructions which need not be quoted as to regis- 

 tration, lettering and numbering, but in England and Wales, at 

 any rate, there was, prior to the war, and had been for years, con- 

 siderable laxity in the enforcement of these regulations. 



For the above purposes fishing boats are divided into three 

 classes. First-class boats include all steamers of 15 tons gross 



' For Sea Fishery statistics of Europe see, von Montlong, " Beitrage zur Statistik 

 der Seefischerei in den wichtigsten Staaten Europas," in the Statistische Monatschrifi 

 for 1905, Wien ; and also the publications of the International Council for the 

 Exploration of the North and neighbouring Seas. 



» Obviously overestimated. 



