of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



181 



for all kinds of white fish, the bulk of which was dispatched by rail to the 

 Southern markets. 



In the quantity of herring landed in Loch Carron and Skye district 

 there was a considerable decrease, as compared with the preceding year. 

 Weather conditions were so unfavourable during the winter and spring 

 months that only the largest of the district boats could occasionally get to 

 sea. Good takes were, however, occasionally got in Loch Bracadale by 

 steam and motor craft, but at no period of the year was there such an 

 abundance of herring in that loch as in 1912. Fair results were obtained 

 by district crews during the summer months chiefly in and off Loch 

 Snizort. The greater part of the catch was landed and cured at Uig, 

 where accommodation has been provided by the Board of Agriculture and 

 Fisheries. The heaviest of the takes caught by steam and motor vessels 

 were landed at Mallaig and Stornoway. There are now 20 small-sized 

 motor boats on the register, and the earnings of these for the year ranged 

 from £200 to £500, with an average of £300, as compared with an average 

 of £380 in 1912. The earnings of sail boats of a similar size ranged from 

 £50 to £180. As usual, mackerel of superior quality were fairly plentiful 

 in the neighbourhood of Kyle of Lochalsh, and for these there was a good 

 demand in the English markets. A considerable quantity of saitli and 

 hake of excellent quality was caught with net in Loch Carron. Saith 

 realised 4s. per cwt., and hake 20s. per cwt. The value of line-caught fish 

 varies very little annually, and amounts to about £3000. The shell-fish 

 fisheries of the district are of more importance and realise about £5000, 

 chiefly for lobsters. 



As in the preceding year, poor results were obtained at herring flshing 

 in Loch Broom district, the total for the year amounting only to about 

 5000 crans, at an average price of 25s. per cran. About half the total 

 was landed during a week or two in September, when there was every 

 appearance of a dense shoal of herrings in the neighbourhood of Loch 

 Broom. The fleet then at work included a number of large sail boats 

 from other districts, many of which did not refrain from fishing during 

 the daytime, and the district fishermen assert that this not only prevented 

 the herrings from entering the loch, but caused them to settle down in deep 

 water where they could not be caught. Be this as it may, the fleet rapidly 

 dispersed, and no more herrings were caught until the last days in the 

 year. About the usual quantity of white fish, some 14,000 cwts., was 

 accounted for, chiefly cod — a large portion of which was caught by nets 

 from close inshore up to 10 miles ofl Gairloch. 



In Stornoway district the herring fishing was prosecuted with un- 

 precedented success during the first quarter of the year. In the three 

 months a total of 107,578 crans was landed at an average price of 16s. 

 per cran, as compared with 13,538 crans at the same average price during 

 the corresponding period in 1912. From the beginning of May to the close 

 of September the catch, although good, was lighter than in the preceding 

 year. During the summer season the best results were obtained during 

 June and July, when the quality was at its best. The total for the two 

 months was 17,428 crans at an average price of 44s. 4d. per cran. In the 

 last quarter of the year the catch was light and partial, yet the year closed 

 with a substantial increase in quantity and value as compared with 1912. 



A small portion of the year's catch was kippered and freshed. For the 

 herrings cured early in the year, and exported, chiefly to Germany and Russia, 

 there was a good demand on the spot at from 20s. to 26s. per barrel, and 

 to curers and shore workers the results were highly satisfactory. Those 

 cured during the summer and autumn months were nearly all consigned 

 unsold, and a larger portion than hitherto went to America. Sale returns 

 for large, fat flsh generally ranged from 48s. to 50s. per barrel ; medium. 



