XXX 



Thirty-second Annual Report 



from 27,115 cwts. to 19,298 cwts. The percentages of the total catch 

 referable to trawlers, steam liners, and sailing liners were respectively 

 43, 48, and 9, as compared with 38, 48, and 14 in the preceding year. 



Whitmgs. 



Whitings appear to have been very abundant in 1913, as the 

 catch of 223,745 cwts. was nearly 29 per cent, in advance of that of 

 1912, and 50 per cent, greater than the average for the preceding 

 5 years. The increase was wholly referable to the trawl catch, which 

 amounted to 210,364 cwts., as against 154,782 cwts. in 1912, whereas 

 the catch by lines fell from 19,206 cwts. to 13,251 cwts. The value of 

 the catch was £105,179, as compared with £70,151 in 1912. 



Saithe, Torsk, and Conger Eels. 



Saithe also were unusually plentiful in 1913, the total catch of 

 410,985 cwts. being over 43 per cent, in excess of the preceding year's 

 figures, and 100 per cent, greater than the average for preceding 

 5 years. This increase was almost wholly referable to trawling, and 

 was to a large extent due to the greater productivity of the Fladden 

 ground, which was much resorted to during the summer. The catch 

 by line, which amounted to 65,013 cwts., shows a slight falling ofi, 

 which was more than counterbalanced by an increase of 3000 cwts., 

 or 34 per cent., in the quantity taken by nets. The value of the 

 catch was £78,491, as against £48,936 in 1912. 



The quantity of torsk landed amounted to 17,365 cwts., valued at 

 £6364, as compared with 16,503 cwts. and £5112 in 1912. This fish 

 is landed principally by steam liners, who during the year under review 

 accounted for 72 per cent, of the total. 



Of conger eels 21,943 cwts., valued at £9960, were landed, as com- 

 pared with 36,863 cwts. and £11,554 in the preceding year. This 

 species is taken chiefly on the West Coast by steam liners, Mallaig 

 being the principal port of landing, and the diminished catch was due 

 mainly to the fact that the landings by those vessels at that port 

 amounted to only 8582 cwts., as compared with 19,739 cwts. in 1912. 



Hake, Gurnards, Catfish, and Monks. 



The quantity of hake landed was 18,914 cwts. (of which 17,499 cwts. 

 were landed by trawlers), valued at £15,869, as compared with 20,176 

 cwts. and £12,152 in the preceding year. These figures indicate a rise 

 in the average price per cwt. of from 12s. to 16s. 9d., from which it 

 may be inferred that hake were in greatly increased demand during 

 1913. 



Gurnards, catfish, and monks are the least valuable of the round 

 fish, and the aggregate catch of the three species, which was 61,354 

 cwts., realised only £15,720, the corresponding figures for 1912 being 

 61,248 cwts. and £14,652. The slight increase in value was due to the 

 improved demand for catfish. 



(h) FLAT FISH. 



The total quantity of flat fish landed was 202,886 cwts., valued at 

 £340,845. As regards quantity, the catch was almost identical with 

 that of 1912, the difference, in favour of 1913, being only 844 cwts., 

 but the value represents an increase of £18,232, and is the highest 



