26 



Part III. — Twenty-jirst Annual Report 



were marketable. The number of marketable haddocks ranged from 

 311 down to ninety-four, and although the proportion of the larger 

 classes was greater than on the north-eastern gi-ounds in the previous 

 week, the number taken — from one to three baskets —was too small to 

 make any important addition to the profits of the catch. Whitings, 

 never an important item from the financial point of view, were also 

 poorly represented. Cod were present in fair proportion, being repre- 

 sented in most of the hauls, the number ranging from one or two to 

 nineteen. Very few codling or gurnards were obtained in any of the 

 hauls, but in most of the hauls cat- fishes were secured, the number vary- 

 ing from one to six. There were also a few of the " long " fishes, more 

 abundant in the deeper water, viz. two ling and five saithe or coal-fish, 

 but no hake or tusk were caught here. Six halibut were also taken, 

 all being small. 



Among the other flat-fishes, plaice were best represented — and indeed 

 the Great Fisher Bank is frequented for the sake of this fish as well as 

 for the haddock. They were taken in each haul, the number varying 

 from eight to ninety-one, 519 altogether being secured in the nine hauls 

 recorded, and they were all marketable, i.e. no small plaice were found. 

 Common dabs were much scarcer ; they were taken in six of the hauls, 

 the numbers varying from two to seven, and the aggregate was twenty- 

 six. Lemon soles were also scarce, the total being only twelve; one or 

 two were taken in seven drags. No megrims were found, but twenty- 

 six long rough dabs, in six of the hauls, the number ranging from two 

 to eight, and likewise four witches, one in each of four hauls. No brill 

 or turbot were caught. Sliates and rays were represented by one grey 

 skate and twenty -two starry rays, from two to eleven being caught in 

 four of the drags. Anglers also, in harmony with the paucity of fish, 

 were scarce, only five being taken altogether. 



The aggregate number of fishes taken in the nine hauls completely 

 recorded, representing thirty-six hours of actual fishing, was only 4096, 

 or an average of 455" 1 per haul, or 11 3*8 per hour. The average num- 

 ber of marketable fishes taken per haul was only 317*2, the unmarketable 

 averaging 137'9. The condition of this part of the Great Fisher Bank 

 at this time was therefore the reverse of prolific, and contrasts strongly 

 with the inshore grounds and those in the north-east, even at the least 

 productive period. The fish from the Fisher Bank, however, are much 

 esteemed, and command good prices on the market, and the grounds 

 were vigorously trawled over for a number of years ; five or six years 

 ago they were among the favourite places for Aberdeen trawlers. 



The aggregate number and averages of the difierent kinds of fish 

 obtained in the nine fully recorded drags on the Fisher Bank are as 

 follows : — 



Flat Fish. 





Plaice. 



Lemon 

 Sole. 



Witch. 



Common 

 Dab. 



Long 

 Rough 

 Dab. 



Halibut. 



No. 



519 



12 



4 



26 



26 



6 



Av, per haul, 



57-7 



1-3 



0-4 



2-9 



2-9 



0-7 



Av. per hour, 



U-4 



0--3 



0-1 



0-7 



0-7 



0-2 



