26 



Part III. — Seventh Annual Report 



4. Special Statistics of Fishing Boats. 



Table G. represents the monthly takes of cod, haddock, and whiting, 

 of 41 East Coast fishing boats in 1888. The fishermen themselves, 

 as was explained in last year's Report, keep a record of the results of 

 each of their trips ; but from the great length of the tables compiled 

 from these records, it is not possible to publish them this year in extenso. 

 Accordingly an epitome of the more important results has been given in 

 Table G. One of the main results indicated is the proportional amounts 

 of cod, haddock, and whiting obtained at different distances from the 

 shore, both in the territorial and the extra-territorial waters. 



For purposes of comparison the catches are classified into those under 

 2 miles, between 2 and 3 miles, between 3 and 6 miles, and over 6 

 miles. 



In the Aberdeen district 832 trips were made by the 5 boats during 

 the year, and the total catch was 3994f cwts., which represents an 

 average per 'shot' of 4*8 cwts., consisting mainly of haddocks. Of this 

 amount 1292 J cwts., or about 30 per cent., was obtained from the 

 territorial waters, and 2702 cwts. from beyond the 3-mile limit. Of 

 the amount caught in the territorial waters, 653J cwts. were obtained 

 within 2 miles from shore, and 639 cwts. between 2 and 3 miles from 

 shore. Of the total catch beyond the 3-mile limit, 574 cwts. were 

 obtained between 3 and 6 miles, and the remainder beyond 6 miles. 



In the Stonehaven district the 1 1 boats which kept records captured 

 altogether during 1888, 5821 J cw ts. of cod, haddock, and whiting, and since 

 the number of 'shots' was 1345, this gives an average per 'shot' of 4*3 cwts. 

 Of this amount 1624 J cwts., or 27*8 per cent., were obtained in the 

 territorial waters; 7 75 \ cwts. within a distance of 2 miles from shore, 

 and 849 cwts. between 2 and 3 miles. Of the amount caught beyond 

 the territorial waters (4 197 J cwts.), 1272 cwts. were obtained within 

 6 miles of the shore, and the remainder beyond the 6-mile limit. 



In the Montrose district the number of trips of the 12 boats was 1461, 

 and the quantity caught 7928| cwts., or an average of 5*4 cwts. per ' shot.' 

 1293 cwts. were caught within 2 miles and 2295 cwts. between 2 and 3 

 miles from shore, giving a total of 1588 cwts., or about 20 per cent, for 

 the territorial waters. Of the 6340f cwts. caught beyond the 3-mile 

 limit, 1652 cwts. were obtained under 6 miles, and the remainder beyond 

 6 miles from shore. 



In the Anstruther district the 12 recording boats caught during the 

 whole year 4058^ cwts., or an averrge of about 2 cwts. per ' shot,' the 

 number of trips being 1970. In the territorial waters 1918J cwts. were 

 obtained; 11 23 J cwts. within a distance of 2 miles from shore, and 

 795 cwts. between 2 and 3 miles. Of those caught beyond the territorial 

 area 1908| cwts. were got within 6 miles from shore, and 229f cwts. 

 beyond 6 miles. 



In the Leith district the number of trips of the 3 boats was 

 158, and the amount caught 3128| cwts., or an average per 'shot' of 

 20 cwts. per boat, all of which were obtained beyond the 3-mile limit, 

 and chiefly beyond 6 miles. The records for this district, however, are 

 so imperfect, and the number of boats so small, that little reliance 

 can be placed upon these figures. 



Probably a fairly good test, however, of the comparative productive- 

 ness of the territorial and extra-territorial waters, and of the zone 

 immediately within and beyond the limit, may be obtained by combin- 

 ing the totals for the various districts, as has been done in the following 

 Table. 



