of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



21 



the group 'flounder, plaice, and brill,' the quantity of which fell from 

 5477 cwts. ill 1894, and 5767 cwts. in 1895, to 3402 cwts. last year. 

 The quantity of halibut, on the other hand, increased from 254 cwts. in 

 1894, and 403 cwts. in 1895, to G91 cwts. in 1896. 



In the three years under consideration a marked increase occurred in 

 cod, both in the gross quantity landed and in the average quantity cap- 

 tured per 'shot 'of the lines. In 1894, 32,571 cwts. were landed, as 

 against 47,646 cwts. in 1895, and 64,663 cwts. in 1896; so that the 

 amount was as nearly as possible doubled during the three years. The 

 average per 'shot' also increased from 0-52 cwt. in 1894 to 0'81 cwt. in 

 1895'and 107 cwt, in 1896. 



The averages for each district in the different years are as follows : — 





1894. 



1895. 



1896. 



Wick . 



099 



1-83 



3-22 



Lybster 



1-92 



1-79 



1-71 



Helmsdale . 



0-75 



1-31 



2-01 



Cromarty 



0-59 



0-617 



0-74 



Findhorn 



0-48 



075 



0-85 



Buckie 



0-55 



10 



1-3 



Banff 



0-13 



0-27 



022 



It will thus be seen that in nearly every district a continuous increase 

 in the quantity of cod captured per 'shot' of the lines took place; that 

 shown in the returns for the Wick district is remarkable. 



The increase in the amount of haddocks landed from the Moray Firth 

 was not so steady throughout the period, the statistics showing a falling 

 off both in the gross quantity landed and the average per 'shot' last year 

 as compared with the previous year, although 1895 showed a considerable 

 increase in both as against 1894. The total quantity landed in 1894 was 

 153,529 cwts., the average per 'shot' being 2*47 cwts.; in 1895 the total 

 was 178,370 cwts. and the average 3 056 cwts,; and in 1896 the total 

 was 156,703 cwts. and the average 2 6. 



The average quantities per ' shot 9 in each of the years in the various 

 districts are as follows : — 





1894. 



1895. 



1896. 



Wick . 



0-54 



0-508 



0-22 



Lybster . 



1-63 



1-29 



0-69 



Helmsdale 



2-16 



2-11 



2-2 



Cromarty 



2-18 



1-96 



1-51 



Findhorn 



331 



3-73 



3-32 



Buckie . 



3-178 



3-19 



3-16 



Banff . 



2-47 



4-07 



3-06 



These figures show that the average catch of haddocks per 'shot' was 

 less in 1895 than in 1894 in the northern districts, Wick, Lybster, 

 Helmsdale, and Cromarty, and greater in the southern districts, Findhorn, 

 Buckie, and Banff. In the latter the increase was very marked. Almost 

 the exact opposite prevailed in the following year, the averages increasing 

 at Lybster and Helmsdale, and diminishing at Findhorn, Buckie, and 

 Banff, but also at Cromarty and Wick. The latter district is the only 

 one which shows a continuous decrease in the average throughout the 

 three years. 



The next most abundant line-caught fish is the saithe or coalfish, and 

 the figures show a considerable increase in the quantity landed during the 



