8i 



our inshore fisheries. Referring to the west coast, the 

 Fishery Board Report for 1881 mentions that "The best 

 fishing was got in Loch Hourn, where an immense body of 

 herrings remained all the season." It is reasonable to 

 assume that the herrings returned on their own account, 

 and that their movements were made in "blissful igno- 

 rance" that the British Parliament had abolished the 

 measures for their special protection. 



Another feature of the Scotch Herring Fisheries is the 

 large and continually increasing takes of late years off the 

 Shetland Islands. In 1879 the Shetlanders only cured 

 8,000 barrels ; in 1880 the number had increased to 48,000 ; 

 in 1 88 1 to 59,586, and in 1882 to 134,000 barrels. 



In his opening address Professor Huxley remarked that 

 considering the antiquity and importance of the fishing 

 industry " it is singular that it can hardly be said to have 

 kept pace with the rapid improvement of almost every other 

 branch of industrial occupation in modern times. If we 

 contrast the progress of fishery with that of agriculture, 

 for example, the comparison is not favourable to fishery," 

 and he afterwards observed, " But we are still very far 

 behind scientific agriculture ; and as to the application of 

 machinery and of steam to fishery operations, it may be 

 said that in this country a commencement has been made, 

 but hardly more." 



I am not going to question the general accuracy of Pro- 

 fessor Huxley's conclusions, yet I think that I have shown 

 that our Scotch Herring Fisheries have not been altogether 

 standing still. The increase in our take of herrings has 

 not been entirely due to the larger amount of capital in- 

 vested in the trade, nor to the enterprise of our fishermen 

 in going further to sea in pursuit of their calling ; though 

 no doubt these two causes have largely contributed in 



VOL. VI. c. G 



