of the. Fishery Board for Scotland. 



21 



This Table shows that the great bulk of the fish caught in each year 

 within the whole area consisted of haddocks and cod. The preponderance 

 of haddocks is most marked in the southern districts, where the greatest 

 number of small-line boats are to be found. On the other hand, cod, ling, 

 and saithe were relatively most marked in the catches landed in the 

 northern districts, and especially at Wick. 



The quantity of flat-fishes landed in each year was small. Of turbot 

 and lemon sole only a few hundredweights were caught. The greater 

 number are included under the heading 'flounder, plaice, and brill,' 

 which comprise principally plaice and dabs. The total quantity of flat- 

 fishes landed in each of the years was as follows : — 5736 cwts., or 2-6 

 per cent, of the whole, in 1894 ] 6170 cwts., or 2*3 per cent., in 1895 ; 

 4127 cwts., or 1'6 per cent., in 1896 ; and 4715 cwts., or 1*9 per cent., in 

 1897. The slight increase indicated last year, as compared with the 

 previous year, took place for the most part in the group ' flounders, plaice, 

 and brill ; ' there was also a slight increase in the quantity of halibut 

 landed. It must not be forgotten that the increase in the quantities of 

 halibut landed, as of cod, ling, saithe, conger, and skate, does not neces- 

 sarily imply a greater abundance of these fishes on the fishing grounds. 

 They are caught almost exclusively by the great-line boats, and, as we 

 have seen, the number of shots made by these boats has very much 

 increased ; while the averages given in the returns apply to all the ' shots,' 

 both great-line and small-line, combined. In each of the four years with 

 which the statistics deal an increased quantity of cod was landed from the 

 closed waters, as compared with the year immediately preceding. This 

 remark applies also to the average catch per * shot ' of the lines. In 

 1897, 79,731 cwts. were landed, as against 64,663 cwts. in 1896, 47,646 

 cwts. in 1895, and 32,571 cwts. in 1894. This increase is most marked in 

 the Wick district, where great-line fishing in the closed waters has been 

 greatly developed. The average per ' shot ' steadily increased from 0*52 

 cwts. in 1894 to 1*26 cwts., or more than double, in 1897. The averages 

 for each district in the various years are as follows : — 





1894. 



1895. 



1896. 



1897. 



Wick, 



0-99 



1-83 



3-22 



4-16 



Lybster, - 



1-92 



1-79 



1-71 



2-47 



Helmsdale, 



0-75 



1-31 



2-01 



2-39 



Cromarty, - 



0-59 



0-617 



0-74 



0-61 



Findhorn, - 



0-48 



0-75 



0-85 



0-52 



Buckie, 



0-55 



10 



1-3 



1-68 



Banff, 



0-13 



0-2 



0-22 



0-41 



These figures show the great increase in the average of cod in the 

 northern districts and in the Buckie district ; in the other districts the 

 change is not so striking. 



The quantity of haddocks caught in the closed waters diminished con- 

 siderably in 1897 as compared with the three preceding years. Thus the 

 quantity landed was 153,529 cwts. in 1894 ; in 1895 it rose to 178,370 

 cwts., in 1896 it fell to 156,703 cwts., and last year to 126,031 cwts., or 



