40 THE SEA FISHERIES 



per cent), the Skagerrack 105,102 tons (4 per cent). The yield, of 

 the Baltic was only 71,307 tons or 27 per cent. 



The total quantity of fish taken from the North Sea in recent 

 years is given in the following table. 



Yield of the North Sea Fisheries (in metric tons) 



1907 . . 1,123 1909 • . 1,049 1911 . . 1,168 



1908 . . 1,039 1910 . . 1,115 1912 . . r,i7i 



The trawl industry shows an increase from a mean of 340,397 

 tons in the years 1907-09 to 348,606 tons in 1910-12. 



The average share of the different countries in the North Sea catch 

 in 1910-12 was (in percentages), Norway 127, Denmark 1-3, Germany 

 7-1, Holland ii-i, Belgium 0-5, England 37-1, Scotland 29-8. 

 Great Britain thus claims 66-9 per cent of the total. Comparison 

 with former years shows that the shares of Holland and Belgium 

 vary little, those of Norway, Germany and Denmark show a distinct 

 increase, while Great Britain's share tends to diminish. 



The grounds off the North of Scotland comprise the fifth region, 

 with an estimated area of 18,100 sq. miles. This includes the seas 

 surrounding the Orkney and Shetland Islands. It is separated from 

 the North Sea by an arbitrary line drawn in a north-easterly direc- 

 tion from Duncansby Head to the Orkneys, and joining North 

 Ronaldsha to Sumburgh in the Shetlands. Its western boundary 

 is the meridian of 5° west, which separates it from the sixth region. 

 The chief fish are haddock, ling, skates and rays ; cod and halibut 

 are also found in some quantity. 



Tlie sixth region is entitled " Westward of Scotland " in the 

 official reports. It extends from the preceding region to the south- 

 ward and westward, and includes the whole of the west coast of 

 Scotland. It is separated from the Irish Sea by a line drawn from the 

 Mull of Cantyre to Fair Head (Ireland), and from the west of Ireland 

 by a line drawn true west from Eagle Island off the coast of County 

 Mayo. Its area is calculated at 32,100 sq. miles. Together with 

 the fifth region it comprises the most northerly portion of the 

 Atlantic continental shelf, which runs uninterruptedly as a broad 

 plateau as far as the coast of Spain. A short distance outside the 

 loo-fathom line the shelf descends rapidly to the bed of the Atlantic 

 Ocean. Within the region there is a large available trawling area. 

 The physical features of the region are very diverse, and there is 

 a great variety of fish. Northern types, like coalfish, ling, halibut 

 and megrims, occur along with gurnards, skates and rays, and even 

 more southerly types, such as hake and bream. 



The following table gives the total quantity of fish landed from 

 this region, and separate statistics for plaice : — 



