— Ill — APPENDIX J: SCOTLAND 



In x\ppendix B are given the details with regard to the quantity and value of the 

 several species of fish landed in Scotland, the different regions and the different modes of 

 fishing being distinguished, each species and the various methods of cure being mentioned. 

 Details with regard to the herring-trade, its progress during the last century, the amount 

 of quantities exported, and the number of men engaged in the various branches etc. are 

 given in further tables. 



In addition to the fishery officers, who are responsible for the statistics mentioned, 

 and each of whom furnishes annually a separate report on the fisheries within his district, 

 there are two inspectors, who supervise generally the work of the fishery officers and give 

 general reports annually on the condition of the Scottish fisheries. 



General information from the statistics 



The quantities and values of the Scottish fisheries are shown in the following tables. 

 As with the corresponding tables for England, five-yearly periods are considered , though 

 the greater accuracy of the Scottish statistics give the figures for the year a higher value, 

 and make them more worthy of record. The five-yearly periods, however, serve the 

 present purpose. The yearly data for the most important species will be considered in 

 the second portion of this work. 



A few notes may be made on the various species mentioned in the tables. 



Statistics of the herrings sold "fresh" began only in 1883. Previous to that time, "Nets"-fishery 

 there were only records of the herring cured. These go back nearly a hundred years, to 

 1809. From the report for 1902, we find that the number of barrels of herrings, cured 

 annually in Scotland, has increased gradually and regularly from 90,000 during IBlO to 

 over 1,800,000 barrels in 1902 



Comparison of the total quantities is difficult, until we come to 1889, when the quan- 

 tities were all given under the same measures, crans or hundred-weights. From that time 

 onwards, it appears from the table, that the total quantities have steadily increased except 

 during the period 1896-1900. 



With regard to the proportions of herring cured and those used in a fresh condition, 

 it is evident, that this depends from year to year upon many variable factors, such as the 

 condition of the fish, the demand etc. In general, however, only about one-fifth of the 

 quantity landed is used in the fresh state, about 80 per cent, being cured, chiefly for 

 exportation. Within the last few years, the proportion of herring sold fresh has increased. 



Since 1896, the different periods of the herring fishery have been separately disting- 

 uished in the statistics, into: winter fishery from P' Jan. to .31" March; early summer fishery 

 from 1" April to 30* June; and great summer and autumn fishery from 1" July to 

 31^' December. Of these, the latter is the most important, having from 60 to 75% of 

 the total qnantity and value of the entire fishery. The early summer fishery amounts to 

 15 to 20 "/o and the winter fishery to 5 to 10 "/o of the entire fishery. The winter fishery 

 is pursued on the east and west coasts and is entirely estuarine. The greater part of the 

 early summer fishery is carried on at the Orkney and Shetland Islands and on the west 

 coast. During the third period, from P' July to the end of the year, the fishery gradually 

 extends to the south and is prosecuted along the whole east coast from Shetland to the Thames. 



Herring 



