of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



37 



hours and a half, yielded 7 038 fishes, of which 5002 were marketable, 

 while the last three hauls, which lasted for thirteen hours, produced 

 8790 fishes, of which 5946, or nearly a thousand more, were marketable. 

 With regard to flat-fishes, the aggregate number of plaice in the first 

 three hauls was 4170, and in the last three 4164 ; the number of dabs 

 in the first three hauls was 1539, and in the last three 2432. 



The vessel left the Dornoch Firth on the morning of 9th October, the 

 next drag being made for four hours and forty minutes, just outside of 

 Tarbet Ness, in from nine to twenty fathoms. The catch consisted of 

 1971 fishes, the marketable numbering 1488, and the unmarketable 

 483. Included in the total were 106 codlings, 100 haddocks, none of 

 which were small, and 118 gurnards, mostly large. The plaice numbered 

 1245, of which 1153 were marketable, 615 belonging to the fourth class, 

 366 to the third, 119 to the second, and 53 to the first. The number 

 of common dabs was 390, and there were also three brill, four lemon 

 soles, and five thornbacks. 



The next haul was made a little farther out, in from nineteen to 

 twenty-five fathoms, Tarbet Ness bearing W.S.W., and it lasted for 

 three hours and twenty minutes. The fishes taken numbered only 629, 

 of which 452 were marketable. Included amongst them were 

 three cod, twenty codlings, 146 haddocks — sixty-seven large, thirty 

 medium, and forty small, — ten whitings, two ling, and fifty gurnards. 

 The flat-fishes comprised 242 plaice, of which 219 were marketable, viz. 

 twenty-four large, seventy-four medium, twenty small, and 110 very 

 small, and twenty-three too small to be marketable. There were also 

 fourteen lemon soles, all marketable, 139 small common dabs, and 

 three thornbacks. 



The vessel then steamed to Aberdeen Bay, where three drags were 

 made on 10th October. The first, in from five to twelve fathoms, oflT 

 Newburgh, lasted for four hours and a quarter. The catch was not 

 enumerated, but it was considerable, consisting of twenty-one baskets of 

 small haddocks and three-quarters of a basket of large, and seven 

 baskets of plaice, three containing mediums, two small, and two extra 

 small. There were also a basket of common dabs, a brill, a codling, 

 and twenty whitings. The unmarketable fishes filled three baskets, so 

 that the aggregate quantity was about thirty-three baskets. 



In the third haul, which lasted for five hours, in from five to ten 

 fathoms, 2574 marketable fishes were taken, viz. 1572 haddocks, all 

 except fourteen large belonging to the third class, 817 plaice, of which 

 twelve were large, 372 medium, 223 small, and 210 very small, two 

 brill, 160 common dabs, and twenty-three gurnards. 



The fishes taken in the second haul were enumerated, the haul lasting 

 for five hours and ten minutes, in from four to twelve fathoms. The 

 total number was 3003, of which 2619 were marketable and 384 un- 

 marketable. The haddocks numbered 1555, and comprised ten large, no 

 mediums, and 1522 small, besides twenty-three too small to be saleable. 

 There were 948 plaice, 839 being marketable, viz. 228 mediums, 341 

 small, and 270 very small ; there were also 109 unmarketable. Besides 

 these were thirteen codling, nine whiting, thirty gurnards, three brill, 

 and 445 common dabs. 



II. Special Statistics of North Sea Fisheries. 



In last annual Report* I discussed in some detail the statistics 

 relating to the North Sea fisheries, particularly in connection with 

 trawling, and formulated a scheme of statistics with the special object 



* Ticentieth-Ajin. Rep., Part III., " North Sea Investigations," p. 74 et se^., p. 135. 



