of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



xxxix 



the failure of the iSt. Kilda grounds is mainly responsible, as the 

 well-known turbot ground off Aberdeen is still giving fair results. 



For the purpose of scientific investigation (which is directed 

 primarily to the solution of the problem of the effect of trawling on 

 the fish supply), the areas of the grounds fished by the vessels working 

 from Aberdeen are noted very minutely, but it may be sufficient for 

 the present purpose to indicate the sources of supply under the three 

 broad divisions — Home, Icelandic, and Faroese waters. 



Statement showing, for the years 1905 to 1910, the distribution 

 among the main fishing areas of the catch and value of Round 

 and Flat Fish landed at Aberdeen. 





Round Fish. 



Flat Fish. 







Year 



d 

 >S 



OJ 



tc 



p 



Home 

 Waters. 



Total. 



6 

 a 



ji 



<u 

 0 



1; 

 p 



Home 

 Waters 



Total. 



Grand Total. 



1905 

 1906 

 1907 

 1908 

 1909 

 1910 



Cwts. 



93,2t>2 

 217,791 

 268,123 

 269,511 

 186,004 

 270,806 



Cwts. 

 113,054 

 59,217 

 82,436 

 30,492 

 74,454 

 72,580 



Cwts. 

 1,138,109 

 1,091,319 

 1.238,970 

 1,408,200 

 1,372,838 

 1,3.59,557 



Cwts. 

 1,344,425 

 1.368,327 

 1,589,529 

 1,708,209 

 1,633,296 

 1,702,943 



£ 



634,265 

 622,738 

 652,370 

 662,627 

 711,855 

 784,435 



Cwts. 

 3,122 

 4,072 

 7,266 

 5,592 

 2,139 

 6.654 



Cwts. 



6,044 



8,274 

 12,654 



5,270 

 10,464 



8,838 



Cwts. 

 103,444 

 94,6-'2 

 93,529 

 115,515 

 115,686 

 116,705 



Cwts, 

 112,610 

 106,968 

 113,449 

 126,377 

 128,289 

 132,197 



£ 



183,245 

 196,678 

 205,340 

 215,343 

 202,069 

 223,229 



Cwts 

 1,457,035 

 1,475,295 

 1,702,978 

 1,834,-586 

 1,761,585 

 1,835,140 



£ 



817,510 

 819,416 

 857,710 

 877,970 

 913,924 

 1,007,664 



The above table shows that the supplies from both home and 

 Icelandic waters have steadily increased. In Faroese waters, how- 

 ever, the catch of round fish, although showing a distinct upward 

 tendency since 1906, is still considerably below that for 1905, while 

 the flat-fish catch (which consists chiefly of halibut and lemon soles) 

 is marked by considerable fluctuations. The great increase in the 

 supplies of round fish from Icelandic waters since 1905 is largely 

 attributable to foreign trawlers, who evince a tendency to concentrate 

 on the cod-fishing in these waters, and the sudden drop observable in 

 the figures for 1909 was mainly due to the exceptionally bad weather 

 experienced in that year on these far-distant grounds. The falling off 

 in the supply from Faroese waters was largely due to the scarcity of 

 cod and codling in those waters in 1906, as a result of which fewer 

 vessels have devoted their attention to this area since. Under home 

 waters are included, in addition to the North Sea, the Minch, the 

 Atlantic grounds, and the waters round the lonely islands of North 

 Rona, Rockall, and St. Kilda, and the increase under this area has 

 been largely due to a greater concentration of fishing activity on 

 those grounds. 



In conclusion, it may be stated that, at its present rate of progress, 

 Aberdeen bids fair to assume an even more prominent position in the 

 fishing industry than it occupies at present, and he would be rash who 

 would attempt to assign a definite limit to its ultimate development. 



FISH IMPORTED. 



From a return kindly furnished by H.M. Customs, it appears that 

 the total quantity of fresh fish imported into Scotland in 1910 

 (exclusive of shell-fish) was 258,435 cwts., valued at £79,388, as com- 



