of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 
185 
Year. 
Tonnage. 
Fish caught in 
cwts. 
Cwts, per ton of 
Vessel. 
1888 
1889 
1890 
1891 
2,689 
3,608 
4,705 
6,484 
250,000 
252,524 
291,812 
323,046 
92-9 
69-9 
62-0 
49-8 
These figures show very clearly that the quantity of fish taken per ton 
of the vessels tonnage has greatly diminished in recent years. The figures 
relating to the quantity of fish caught refer to all kinds of fish ; but I 
have also made a comparison of the quantities of round-fish and flat-fish 
for the same periods. The total quantities of these fish caught are as 
follows : — 
Year. 
Round-Fish. 
Number of 
cwts. per Ton 
of Vessels 
Tonnage. 
Fiat-Fish. 
Number of 
cwts. per Ton 
of Vessels 
Tonnage. 
1888 
183,000 
68-0 
67,000 
24-9 
1889 
183,787 
50-9 
68,737 
19-3 
1890 
213,078 
45-2 
78,734 
16-7 
1891 
242,501 
37-4 
80,546 
124 
These figures show that since statistics have been collected — or 
published — there has been a gradual and considerable diminution of the 
average catch of Scotch beam-trawlers per ton of the vessels tonnage. 
The figures given for flat-fish in the above table include, also, skates ; in 
the following table I give the averages per ton for the different kinds of 
flat-fish for the last three years. 
Lemon 
Flounders, 
Year. 
Turbot. 
Halibut. 
Soles. 
Plaice, 
and Brill. 
Skates. 
1889 
1-40 
0-02 
3-89 
12-84 
0-81 
1890 
0-85 
0-009 
3-47 
11-52 
0-86 
1891 
0-63 
0-005 
2-68 
7-88 
1-21 
I think it will be admitted that these figures convey an important 
lesson in connection with this question of over-trawling. The falling-off 
has occurred, it will be observed, mainly in the larger and more valuable 
flat-fish, but it has been common to all kinds. Very few halibut are 
ever caught in the trawl-net — only about 0'17 per cent, of the total catch ; 
but the beam-trawl is the great instrument by which the supplies of 
