lii 



Second Annual Report of the 



Fish sold 

 Fresh. 



Communica- 

 tion from 

 Board of 

 Trade regard- 

 ing Fishery 

 Statistics. 



Year for which 

 returned. 



Result more 

 satisfactory 

 than 



anticipated. 



Particulars of 



Statistics 



collected. 



Quantities and 

 values of 

 White Fish 

 sold Fresh. 



Of Mussels, 

 Crabs, 



Lobsters, and 

 Oysters. 



Best districts 

 for Haddock 

 and Cod. 



way this was to be done, and provided them with printed forms in 

 which the particulars were to be entered. 



We think it right to state that while engaged in this work, the 

 Board of Trade sent us a communication regarding the collection of 

 the Fishery Statistics of Great Britain and Ireland. In reply we 

 furnished that Board with detailed particulars of the manner in 

 which we were carrying on the work above referred to, and 

 expressed our opinion as to various matters in connection there- 

 with about which they consulted us. 



Owing to the recent constitution of the Board, our arrangements 

 could not be completed in sufficient time to enable us to have the 

 work begun until April 1st of last year, and we have therefore 

 thought it desirable to give the statistics in this Beport for twelve 

 months beginning at that date. In future, however, we propose 

 making up the return for each year ending 31st December. As 

 we anticipated, our officers experienced considerable difficulty in 

 carrying out the task entrusted to them, but we are glad to be 

 able to state that the result is much more satisfactory than we 

 expected. As to the future, we have no doubt that by a little 

 additional expenditure, especially if legislative powers are given us 

 to compel parties who may possess it to furnish the necessary 

 information, we will be able to present, year by year, fairly 

 accurate statistics, both of the quantity of fish caught and sold 

 fresh, and of their value. 



Appendix C. gives such statistical information regarding these 

 fisheries as we have been able to make up, based on the returns 

 collected by the officers forthe twelve months above mentioned. The 

 Appendix shows the total quantities of the different kinds of white 

 and shell fish caught on the coasts, with the estimated value, but 

 excluding those herring, cod, and ling, accounted for as cured in 

 Appendices A and B, and also the respective quantities taken in 

 each of the 26 districts, with their estimated values. 



From the Appendix it will also be seen that the most important 

 of the white fish sold fresh, as regards quantity and value, is the 

 haddock. Of it 543,568 cwts. were caught in the twelve months, the 

 estimated value of which was £340,693. Next, as regards quantity, is 

 the cod, of which 156,430 cwts. were caught, the value being£81,376; 

 next the herring, 114,887 crans, value £149,433 ; next the whiting, 

 94,157 cwts., value £41,851; and next the flounder, 67,226 cwts., 

 value £48,409. The total estimated value of these white fish, and 

 of the others embraced in the returns, amounts to £757,710 for the 

 year. As to Shell-fish — Of mussels, there were 281,569 cwts., valued 

 at £16,548; of crabs, 35,393 cwts., value £19,716 ; of lobsters, 7,498 

 hundreds, £32,966 ; and of oysters, 6,456 hundreds, £3,406 ; the 

 value of these and the other shell-fish enumerated being £82,945 ; 

 while the gross total value of the white fish and the shell-fish was 

 estimated to be £840,655.* 



The districts which supplied the largest quantity of haddock 

 and cod are Eyemouth, Leith, Anstruther, Montrose, Aberdeen, 

 and Buckie. At the Eyemouth and Anstruther stations the 



* For the total estimated value of the Fisheries of Scotland, amounting to 

 £3,286,242, 7s. 6d., see page lxiv. 



