36 



THE SEA FISHERIES 



25 broad, which is suitable for steam trawling. The area is estimated 

 at 3400 sq. miles. The haddock and the ling are the two most 

 abundant species, though northern species like the halibut and torsk 

 are found in some quantity. The plaice and coalfish are nearly 

 absent. The catch is divided fairly equally between steam trawlers 

 and steam liners, but in some years, e.g. 1910 and 1912, the liners 

 predominated. 



English Landings from the Rockall Grounds 



(All figures in cwts.) 



1906 

 1907 

 1908 

 1909 

 191O 

 1911 

 1912 

 I913 



Total 

 quantity. 



110,056 



122,545 

 53,802 

 59.736 

 42,174 

 30.547 

 23.777 

 56,496 



The fourth statistical region is the North Sea, still by far the most 

 important of the trawling areas in spite of the fact that its fishing 

 grounds show a steady decline. With a trawlable area of 152,500 

 sq. miles it will challenge comparison merely on the point of size 

 with any of the other regions. This area is bounded on the north 

 by latitude 61 and is separated from the Baltic by a line drawn 

 from the Naze to Hanstholm in Denmark. The Straits of Dover 

 mark it off from the English Channel. For statistical purposes it is 

 divided into separate areas. These areas comprise several thousand 

 square miles, each distinguished according to the depth. Practically 

 every variety of demersal fish is recorded from the North Sea 

 grounds, but, broadly speaking, the predominant species are the 

 cod, haddock and plaice. Plaice and soles are found in greater 

 abundance in the southern shallower portion ; cod and haddock 

 in the deeper, more northerly region. 



The North Sea is really a shallow basin which was in comparatively 

 recent geological times dry land. The Board of Agriculture and 

 Fisheries in their statistical tables distinguish : — 



Areas under 20 metres in depth as A aresis. 

 „ between 20 and 40 metres as B 



., ^ ., 



D „ 

 E „ 



„ over 200 metres as G areas, 

 With the exception of " E " area these are further subdivided. 

 The " A " areas have a dimension of 12,900 sq. miles. 



