of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



33 



them unmarketable; there were also 13 unmarketable whitings, 10 plaice, 

 and 202 gurnards. The catch off ISToss Head was not completely 

 recorded, but it included a number of cod and codling, and three baskets 

 of gurnards. 



The weather at this time was very bad, a strong wind blowing from the 

 south-east, and the sea was high. The vessel left the Caithness coast 

 and steamed to Burghead Bay, where some more hauls were taken. 

 Fairly good catches of plaice were got, but marketable round-fishes were 

 practically absent, while the small unmarketable haddocks were much 

 less abundant than on the previous visit a few days before. The first 

 drag, in from about 6 to 10 fathoms, lasted for four hours and five 

 minutes, the catch numbering 1026 fishes, of which 541 were marketable 

 and 485 unmarketable. The marketable fishes were confined to flat-fishes, 

 viz., 2 brill, 535 plaice, and 4 common dabs; there were also 21 

 unmarketable plaice and 71 unmarketable dabs. There were 332 small 

 haddocks, 22 small whitings, and 36 gurnards, all unmarketable. 



The number of fishes taken in the second haul, in frotn about 5 to 

 9 fathoms, and which lasted for four hours and five minutes, was 

 1858, the marketable amounting to 1037 and the unmarketable to 821. 

 Among the round-fishes were 1 cod, 5 small codling, 606 haddocks, all 

 small and unmarketable, 52 unmarketable whiting, and 19 gurnards. 

 The flat fishes comprised 3 turbot, 2 brill, 1046 plaice, of which 1015 

 were marketable, 1 witch, and 116 common dabs. In the third haul, in 

 the same locality and depth, the number of fishes taken amounted to 

 1029, the haul lasting for four hours. The number marketable was 723, 

 and there were 306 unmarketable. With the exception of one codling, 

 all the marketable fishes consisted of flat-fishes. They comprise d4 

 turbot, 7 brill, 695 plaice, and 16 common dabs; there were also 38 

 unmarketable plaice and 115 unmarketable dabs. The round-fishes 

 included 9 codling, 57 unmarketable haddocks, 15 whiting, and 71 

 gurnards. 



Altogether in these three recorded hauls in Burghead Bay, the actual 

 duration of the trawling operations being 12 hours and 10 minutes, the 

 aggregate number of fishes captured was 3913, of which 2301 were 

 marketable and 1612 unmarketable. The particulars as to the market- 

 able and unmarketable of the various species are given in the following 

 Table :— 



Cod. Ccdling. Haddock. Whiting. Gurnard. Turbot. Brill. Plaice. 

 1 1 - 7 11 2,245 



13 995 89 126 - - 90 



1 14 995 89 126 7 11 2,335 



Common Dab. Witch. Long Rough Dab. Angler. Thornback. 

 32 1 - 3 



290-5 4 



322 1 5 4 3 



As a result of the week's working in the Moray Firth, during which 

 1 9 hauls were made, the total quantity of fish landed at the market by 

 the vessel was 66^ cwts. As already stated, the weather was severe 

 during most of the time and the steamer had to run for shelter on two 

 occasions. The quantities of the different kinds of fish landed were as 

 follows : — 



Cod. Codling. Saithe. Haddock. Catfish. Turbot. Lemon Dab. 



Plaice. Brill. Common Dab. Witch. Thornback. 

 44£ 1 l\ \\ 2 



