9 
The mafhetable flat fish averaged this year : — 
Turbot. Sole. Plaice. Dab. Flat Fish. 
7 ... 30 ... 167 ... 80 ... 297 
These are not up to the figures of the last two years, but the 
averages are greater than those of any year previous to 1902 for the 
total flat fish ; slightly higher for plaice, and for dabs for the 
same period with the exception of the years 1899 and 1900 ; higher 
for soles for all years except last year ; the small return for turbot 
is about the average of all the years. 
TABLE III. — The average catches of marketable flat fishes 
at each station. 
station. 
m. of Ex- 
periments. 
Turbot. 
Brill. 
Sole. 
Plaice. 
Dab. 
Elounder. 
Elat 
Pish. 
Blyth Bay 
1 
10 
240 
100 
20 
370 
Cambois Bay ... 
2 
2 
47 
51 
93 
3 
196 
Druridge Bay ... 
2 
11 
1 
27-5 
202-5 
131-5 
2-5 
376 
Alnmouth Bay... 
2 
7 
... 
17*5 
220 
40 
32-5 
317 
Skate Eoads ... 
1 
23 
25 
260 
55 
12 
375 
It is in the case of Cambois Bay that the greatest amount of 
regression has occurred, especially with regard to plaice. The other 
stations indeed are continuing to furnish the enhanced numbers we 
have had to record for the last two or three years. To briefly 
particularize : Blyth Bay is slightly in excess of last year, and 
somewhat below 1902. Cambois Bay has decreased considerably in 
plaice, and in soles also, but only as compared with the large numbers 
of last year. Druridge Bay is worse as regards prime fish, slightly 
better in plaice, and shows a slight decrease in dabs. Alnmouth 
Bay has decidedly improved in plaice, but is worse as regards dabs. 
Skate Eoads is evidently not so rich in plaice as last year, but is 
still in a very much better condition as compared with the preced- 
ing year. 
The returns this year for Alnmouth Bay are interesting as 
showing a continuation of the tendency to become more like the 
northern part of the district in the proportions of the flat fishes. 
DETAILED ANALYSIS OF THE FIRST HAUL. 
For the first time we have this year made the measurements of 
the fish obtained at the first haul in centimetres instead of inches 
as heretofore. The change is to be welcomed for two reasons : it 
gives a more accurate analysis, and it brings our results more into 
line with those of other experimentalists. 
