of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



29 



extent of 85,684 cwts. last year as compared with 1891. and of 166,486 

 cwts. compared with 1888, as the following figures show : — 





Round Fish. 



Flat Fish. 



Year. 











Line. 



Beam-Trawl. 



Line. 



Beam-Trawl. 



1888 

 1889 

 1890 

 1891 

 1892 



cwts. 

 1,029,961 

 1,057,450 

 993,1801 

 957,609 

 859,3521 



cwts. 

 179,074 

 166,818 

 212,4751 

 227,8941 

 303,424 



cwts. 

 60,752^ 

 53,870| 

 58,673 

 52,302|- 

 64,874i 



cwts. 

 64,723f 

 60.595| 

 73,141 

 76,006 

 72,9601 



2. Statistics Showing the Quantities op Line-Caught Fish obtained 

 from Territorial Waters. 



Special statistics are given in Table G. (p. 147) showing the quantities 

 of fish caught by liners in the territorial waters of the East Coast, from 

 North Berwick on the south to Skateraw, a few miles south of Aberdeen. 

 The monthly and yearly averages per ' shot ' for each kind of fish captured 

 are also given; and Table H. (p. 165) indicates the quantities and 

 averages for each district for the last three years. 



An examination of the various tables shows that during 1892 there 

 was a decrease in the number of 1 shots ' in the portion of the territorial 

 waters under consideration, namely, 32,543 as against 37,928 in the 

 previous year. There was also a decline in the quantity of fish caught — 

 both absolutely and in proportion to the number of shots, the average 

 per 'shot' for the year being 1*94 as compared with 2*43 in 1891. 

 Further, both the number of 4 shots ' and the quantity of fish taken, and 

 also the average catch per * shot,' were less last year than in any year 

 since the statistics have been obtained. The figures for the various years 

 are as follows : — 



Year. 



Total Trips or 

 Shots. 



Quantity of White 

 Fish caught. 



Average Quantity 

 per Shot. 



1888 

 1889 

 1890 

 1891 

 1892 



43,077 

 42,898 

 34,501 

 37,928 

 32,543 



cwts. 

 109,396* 

 107,0291 

 83,6921 

 92,469 

 63,420J 



cwts. 

 2-539 

 2-494 

 2-425 

 2-438 

 1-94 



The falling off in the quantity of fish taken in the territorial waters 

 was common to all kinds, the decrease in haddocks and whitings being 

 specially noticeable. In 1891 the quantity of haddocks amounted to 

 41,991 cwts. as against 29,235 cwts. last year, and the quantity of 

 whitings decreased from 8,0921 cwts . i n 1891 to 2,739J in 1892. All 

 along the coast a marked feature in the fishing has been the diminished 

 takes of whitings. This is also indicated in the special statistics furnished 

 by Mr Mair, the Fishery Officer of the Anstruther district, showing the 

 quantities of haddocks and whitings captured within the closed and open 

 waters and landed in his district in each of the last five years. They are 

 as follows : — 



