178 



Appendices to Thirty-second Annual Report 



year. The method of fishing adopted was the seine net, and it is gratifying 

 to state that several pairs of seiners earned for the year from £1400 to 

 £2000. One very f ortmiate pair of seiners (8 men) is reported to have earned 

 upwards of £-1000, which sum has probably not been reached in any previous 

 year by a single pair of boats in the history of the Clyde fishings. 



In the landings of fish in Ballantrae district, there is a shortage of over 

 12,000 cwts., but an increase of over £4000 in value, as compared with 1912. 

 Owing to the failure of the summer herring fishing, a number of the craft 

 proceeded to the Isle of Man, where they met with a fair measure of success. 

 During the spring months several steam Uners hailing from East Coast ports 

 prosecuted the fishing from Stranraer with fair results. The most success- 

 ful vessel earned over £700. 



For several years back the fisheries of Kothesay and Greenock districts 

 have shown little improvement either in herrings or white fish landed. 

 Within recent years there has been a marked change in connection with the 

 white-fish fisheries of both districts; haddock and whiting appear to 

 have deserted their former grounds, while other kinds have also become less 

 plentiful. 



The white-fish fisheries of the Clyde districts, v/ith the exception of 

 Ballantrae, are of little importance. The total quantity landed was 43,377 

 cwts., valued at £22,396, as against 37,731 cwts., and £21,334 in 1912. 



It is gratifying to state that no lives were lost in connection with the 

 Clyde fisheries, and the loss of fishing material was insignificant. 



The landings of mackerel on both the east and west coasts exceeded 

 aU previous records. Possibly not within the memory of the oldest in- 

 habitant on the coast has this fish been so abundant in the waters of the 

 North Sea as during the months of June and July last. The total landings 

 for the year were 74.348 cwts. as compared with 48,010 cwts. in 1912. 

 The shoals remained upon the coast for a much longer period than usual, 

 probably owing to the rich feeding and favourable weather conditions. 

 There was no special net used such as is the case at several of the creeks on 

 the West Coast, their capture being merely incidental to herring fishing. 

 Catches of from 10 to 20 crans were not micommon. It not infrequently 

 happened that some boats caught from 60 to 70 crans which afterwards 

 they returned to the sea on account of the low prices prevailing. Fisher- 

 men ^attribute the failure of the early herring fishing to the presence of 

 mackerel on the grounds. From both the East and West Coasts large 

 quantities were despatched to the southern markets in a fresh state, and 

 even although prices were nominal (2s. 9d. per cwt.), buyers were slow to 

 purchase them owing to the poor demand and glutted state of the markets. 

 A portion of the catch was tinned. The quantity pickled was 5266 c^^i:s., 

 as compared with 8700 cwts. in 1912, nearly all of which vfere exported 

 to the American markets. 



If treated with the new electrolytic preservative, which has recently 

 been discovered, mackerel, it appears, could be put on the home and 

 foreign markets in good condition from the more remote West Highland 

 creeks, where formerly they had to be destroyed for lack of a preservative. 

 The cheapness of it places it within the reach of all, as the cost is only about 

 a penny per gallon. 



J. Skinner, 

 General Inspector of Sea Fisheries. 



Fishery Board for Scotland, 

 Edinburgh, 2Uh February 1914. 



