of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 227 





Age. 



Mean Size. 



Approximate Annual 

 Growth Indicated. 







Cm. 



Inches. 



Cm. 



Inches. 



1st 

 2nd 

 3rd 



7 months. 



1 year and 7 months. 



2 years and 7 months. 



16-5 

 27-5 

 33-5 



61 



10f 



13* 



11 



6 



2| 



The third group will constitute the great spawning shoal in the 

 following spring. 



On 29th December in the same year, 162 haddocks, taken in Aberdeen 

 Bay, showed the presence of three groups. The first extended from 

 146mm. to 215mm., or near it (5f-8^ inches) ; most were between 

 15cm. and a little over 19cm., the apex of the curve was at 17*5cm., and 

 the mean was about 17*2cm., or 6| inches. The number is not large, 

 but the measurements show an increase in length of about 1cm. from 31st 

 October. The other groups are but slightly represented ; one appeared 

 to extend from 23cm. to 30cm., and the other from the latter to 36cm. ; 

 there were also 7 haddocks from 40cm. to 43cm. (15|-17 inches), pro- 

 bably approaching their fourth year. 



A collection made with the small meshed net on 29th March, 1905, 

 numbered 314, and belonged to the first group. It extended from 

 133mm. to 204mm. (5|-8 inches); most were between 15cm. and 

 18 - 5cm., the apex of the curve was at 17cm. and the mean about 16*5cme 

 or 6 1 inches. A few small haddocks belonging to this haul wer., 

 omitted to be measured. 



Four collections of haddocks from Smith Bank, in the Moray Firth, 

 were measured, the depth in which they were taken being usually 22 or 

 23 fathoms. 



On 1st April, 1904, they numbered 885, and three groups were repre- 

 sented, the first only by a few fish from 15'8cm. to 20cm. or 21cm. The 

 second series was well shown ; it extended from 20cm. or 21cm. to 29cm. 

 (8—1 1 ^ inches); most measured between 23cm. and 27'5cm., the apex of 

 the curve constructed on the measurements was at 25cm., and the mean 

 was 25'2cm. or 253cm, (10 inches). These haddocks were about two 

 years of age. 



The next group extended from 29crn. to about 37cm. (11|-14| inches), 

 most of them were between 30cm. and 34cm. (11 5— 1 3 j inches), the apex 

 of the curve was at 31cm., and the mean was about 32cm., or 12| inches. 

 These fish were about three years of age. The particulars are these : — 





Age. 



Average Size. 



Apparent Annual 

 Growth. 



Cm. 



Inches. 



Cm. 



Inches. 



1st 



1 year old. 











2nd 



2 years old. 



25-2 



10 







3rd 



3 years old. 



32 



m 



6-5 



2i 



