oj the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



XXV 



Early Sum^ner Herring Fishing. 



The quantity landed during the currency of this fishing, which is re- 

 garded as covering the period from April to June, was 1,445,469 cwts. — 

 a falling off from the preceding year's total of 656,653 cwts. This 

 deficiency was due to the falling off of the fishing in northern waters, 

 but particularly in the districts of Shetland, Orkney, and Wick. The 

 failure was ascribed by the fishermen variously to the calm, clear 

 weather which prevailed, and to the presence of an extensive shoal of 

 mackerel on the usual fishing grounds — whether correctly or not it is 

 difficult to say, although their theories are supported by the fact that 

 when the mackerel disappeared and breezier weather set in the fishing 

 immediately improved. Whatever its cause, the failure, following as 

 it did upon the heavy fishings of the two preceding years, affords yet 

 another illustration of the capricious nature of the herring, and pro- 

 vides an instructive commentary on the demand for a close time which 

 was put forward after the bitter experience of 1911, when the market 

 was glutted with immature fish for which the fishermen could not find 

 a market. Certainly the contentions of those who believe that, in so 

 far as herring fishing is concerned, the question of a close time may 

 safely be left to nature, were not weakened by the course of events in 

 1913. 



Of the total catch, 43 per cent, was landed on the East Coast, 42 per 

 cent in Orkney and Shetland, and 15 per cent, on the West Coast, as 

 compared with 43 per cent, 48 per cent, and 9 per cent, respectively in 

 the previous year, the West Coast having thus recovered some of the 

 ground lost in recent years. The principal contributor on the East 

 Coast was Peterhead, whose catch of 247,538 cwts.was only 13,612 cwts. 

 less than in 1912 ; and on the West Coast, Barra, whose catch of 

 88,554 cwts. represents an increase of over 100 per cent, upon the pre- 

 ceding year's total. 



The value of the catch was £610,304, as compared with £628,817 

 in 1912, the average price per cwt. working out at 8s. 5d. and 6s. 

 respectively. 



Great Summer Herring Fishing. 



The great summer herring fishing is regarded as covering the period 

 from 1st July to the close of the year, and the quantity landed during 

 that period amounted to 2,377,657 cwts., as compared with 2,851,865 

 cwts. in 1912. The East Coast, with a total of 1,654,000 cwts. as against 

 1,556,000 cwts., is the only section of the coast to show an increase, and 

 this increase was referable to the districts from Peterhead southwards, 

 those from Fraserburgh to Wick having been involved in the deficiency 

 on the northern grounds. The major part of the decline is referable 

 to Orkney and Shetland, whose catch was considerably less than half 

 that of the preceding year, the figures being respectively 404,710 cwts. 

 and 925,359 cwts. The West Coast contributed 318,930 cwts., or about 

 51,000 cwts. less than in 1912, a falling off which was due mainly to the 

 diminished yield of the loch fishing in the later months of the year. 



While, however, the decrease in the early herring catch was due 

 directly to scarcity of herrings, it was ascril3able, in the case of the 

 fishing under discussion, less to that cause than to the fact that, 

 disheartened by their lack of success, the East Coast and English 



