of the, Fishery Board for Scotland. 7V 



got elsewhere in the district are small in quantity, and the statistics dealt 

 with, as before explained, represent substantially the product of the Loch 

 Fyne fishery. The district included that of Campbeltown until 1863, 

 when the latter was separated from it. 



The gross quantity of herrings taken in Loch Fyne during the forty- 

 four years, 1863-1906, amounted to 1,107,926 crans, giving an annual 

 average of 25,180 crans. In the first twenty-two years, 1863 to 1884, the 

 aggregate quantity of herrings landed was 505,702 crans, giving an annual 

 average for the period of 22,98ii crans. In the last twenty -two years, 

 from 1885 to 1906, the aggregate quantity was 602,224 crans, giving an 

 annual average of 27,375 crans. In the second half of the period there 

 was thus an excess of 96,522 crans over the first half, the average 

 increase per annum being 4,389 crans. 



When the annual statistics are arranged in ten-yearly periods we have 

 the following annual averages : — 



The annual fluctuations in the annual yield of the herring fishery in 

 Loch Fyne have been great, ranging from a minimum of 3648 crans in 

 1873, 4806 in 1874, and 4672 in 1905, to maxima of 55,754 crans in 

 1882 and 56,820 crans in 1897. If we take the mean annual yield over 

 the whole period, then the following years were under the average : — 

 1863, 1864, 1871-1880, 1884, 1886-1888, 1895 and 1896, 1900, and 

 1903-1906. The periods of greatest scarcity were from 1872 to 1876 and 

 1904 to 1906. The most productive years were :— 1867-1869, 1881- 

 1883, 1890-1894, and 1897-1899. 



The phys'.cal features of Loch Fyne will be fully dealt with later, but 

 it may be said here that the loch is divided into two well-marked portions 

 — a lower and wider part, extending from Ardlamont and Skipness 

 Points to Otter Spit, where the water is almost everywhere deep, 

 reaching 70, 80, and in some parts even 100 fathoms; and an upper and 

 narrower part, commonly called Upper Loch Fyne, extending from Otter 

 Spit to the head of the loch. This again may be divided into two 

 parts, the lower, from Otter Spit to the vicinity of Furnace, being 

 as a rule under 30 fathoms, while the upper part is generally much 

 deeper, and may be over 70 or even 80 fathoms. 



With regard to the fishing each year in the loch, it is chiefly important, 

 if possible, to distinguish the productiveness of the upper and the lower 

 lochs, and for a number of years the records enable this to be done. 



In the earlier records, from 1854 to 1863, before the Campbeltown 

 district was separated, notes are occasionally given throwing light on the 

 fishing in Loch Fyne, and some extracts may be cited. In 1854 the 

 first entry is in the week ending 1st July, and in that year there was a 

 fishing in the upper loch, and apparently a good one. In August and 

 October large catches were got from Skipness to Otter Spit; in November 

 the fishing was chiefly about Skipness and Laggan, and down to Carra- 



