of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



341 



little higher; 550 vessels took part in it (as compared with 536 in 1892), 

 of which 224 were luggers and sloops, and 312 ' bomschuiten.' The 

 earliest of the herring were in the market on 21st May, and they were 

 forwarded from Leith to Vlaardingen by steamer, the Jagery Association 

 for direct transport from the fishing vessels not having been formed in 

 1893 ; and they brought from 49 to 92 florins per barrel. The total 

 quantity during the season amounted to 511,083 barrels of pickled 

 herrings, and 46,704,250 ' steurharing,' and the total value amounted to 

 5,048,066 florins ; the export reached 337,680 barrels. Full details are 

 also given regarding the fishing for white fish, the coast fisheries in the 

 North Sea, and in various districts. Oysters on the Yersche and Bergsche 

 banks were very satisfactory in the summer of 1893, both on tiles and 

 on the natural grounds, although a great mortality in the brood occurred 

 later. The quantities of oysters put into the home and foreign markets 

 are estimated as follows : — home markets, 1,553,480 ; to Germany, 

 6,728,050 ; to Belgium and France, 2,569,970; to England, 4,942,630 ; 

 making a total of 15,794,130 oysters, about three millions more than in 

 the previous year. The value is estimated at 1,225,600 florins. The 

 total quantity of mussels exported, or sent to home markets, was 1,563,806 

 kilogrammes, the estimated value being 39,100 florins. The number of 

 boats and vessels employed in the Dutch fisheries in 1893 was 4902, 

 of a total tonnage of 172,603, and manned by 16,700 men, showing an 

 increase of 255 boats and 558 men over the previous year. 



The report also contains the results of observations on the anchovy by 

 Professor C. K. Hoffmann, dealing chiefly with the period when sexual 

 maturity is attained. Hoffmann believes that it reaches maturity in the 

 second year of its life, while Hoek is of opinion that this does not occur 

 until the third year. A preliminary account is also given by Dr P. P. C. 

 Hoek, the scientific adviser on fisheries, of his investigations with regard 

 to the influence of trawl-fishing on the flat-fishes of the North Sea. 

 These investigations are specially important in having been made at some 

 distance from the coast, and may be referred to in some detail. The first 

 series were carried on in a fishing-boat, provided with an auxiliary screw, 

 between 24th August and 21st September 1893, one of the chief objects 

 being to ascertain whether a boat of this kind was suitable for such work. 

 It was found to be too small for the purpose, especially in bad weather, 

 and it was impossible in many cases to examine the contents of the 

 trawl satisfactorily. 



In all seventeen hauls with the trawl were performed, two trawls, each 

 with a different type of trawl-head, being used. The beam of both trawls 

 measured 35 feet only, and the meshes of each net were medium-sized, 

 from 6*5 to 7 centimetres in the main part of the net and 6 centimetres 

 in the cod-end, or 'staart,' as it is called by Dutch fishermen. These 

 measurements refer to the greatest dimension of the mesh when drawn 

 tight ; each side of the mesh from knot to knot would measure half. 

 The iron trawl-heads of one were C]-shaped, after the English model, 

 while those of the other were club-si i aped, of the so-called Dutch model. 

 The advantage of a net furnished with the former over the one with the 

 latter is, that, on reaching the bottom, it always clears itself, and falls 

 ready for fishing; a trawl with Dutch heads sometimes reaches the 

 bottom reversed. 



The farthest point reached in 1893 was about 64 miles from the Dutch 

 coast, the depth being 17 fathoms. Only three hauls with the trawl 

 were made about this distance in 57-64 fathoms. Six hauls were made 

 at a distance of from 18 to 32 miles, seveu at a distance of from 6 to 14 

 miles, and only one in the immediate neighbourhood of the coast, at a 

 mile and a half from the shore. 

 Z 



