xxxii 



Thirty-third Annual Report 



Flounders. 



Of flounders, 7488 cwts., which realised £5919, were landed— a 

 decrease in quantity of 751 cwts., but an increase in value of £394 as 

 compared with the preceding year's returns. These fish are taken 

 principally by means of small lines, set-nets, and seine-nets, and in 1914 

 the catch was referable to these methods of capture in the ratio of, 

 roughly, 3J:2| :1. 



Dabs, Whitches, and Megrims. 



The quantity of whitches and megrims landed (all but 21 cwts. of 

 which was taken by trawlers) was 39,361 cwts., valued at £48,728, or 

 9579 cwts. and £2884 less than in 1913. The greater part of the decrease 

 in quantity, and the whole of the decrease in value, were referable to 

 whitches, the value of megrims (£23,313), in spite of a decline of nearly 

 1000 cwts. in the catch, being £990 more than in 1913. 



The returns relating to dabs show an increase of 1207 cwts. in 

 quantity and £1169 in value, 11,1 14 cwts., valued at £5208, having been 

 marketed during the year, of which trawlers accounted for 8664 cwts., 

 and sail and motor liners for the remainder. 



Turhot and Brill. 



The decline which has been in progress since 1909 in the catch of 

 turbot was arrested during the year under review, 4005 cwts. having 

 been landed, as compared with 3791 cwts. in 1913. Prices were, 

 however, considerably easier throughout the year (the average price 

 per cwt. — £3, Os. 9d. — was about 6s. less than in 1913), with the result 

 that the fishermen did not benefit financially through the increased 

 catch, the aggregate value of which — £12,171 — was £454 less than in 

 the preceding year. 



An incident which is perhaps worthy of record was the landing at 

 Aberdeen of a turbot which measured 3 ft. 1 in. in length and 2 ft. 9 in. 

 in breadth. This specimen weighed 60| lbs., which was 15 lbs. in 

 excess of the previous record. 



Of brill, 444 cwts., valued at £826, were landed, as against 208 cwts. 

 and £422 in 1913. 



(c) SKATE, SQUIDS, AND UNCLASSIFIED FISH. 



There was a substantial increase in the quantity of skate landed 

 during the year under review, the figures for 1914 and 1913 being 

 respectively 149,648 cwts., and 135,498 cwts. Over 90,000 cwts. 

 were captured by liners, of which the steamers' share was 78,575 cwts., 

 and about 58,000 cwts. by trawlers, the small residue having been 

 taken in set-nets. Proportionately, the value shows a larger increase 

 than the catch, as this fish realised on an average 6s. per cwt. in 

 1914, as compared with 5s. 3d. per cwt. in the preceding year, and 

 the total sum realised, viz., £44,983, represents an increase of nearly 

 26 per cent, upon the figure for 1913. 



Of squids, 161 cwts., valued at £32, were landed as compared with 

 28 cwts. and £3 in 1913. These molluscs were brought in by trawlers, 

 and were purchased for bait. 



Unclassified fish consist of lythe, pollack, bream, etc., and the total 

 quantity landed amounted to 16,791 cwts., valued at £2964, or 6791 

 cwts. and £813 less than in the preceding year. About 50 per cent, 

 of the catch was brought in by foreign fishing vessels. 



