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Appendices to Thirty-second Annual Report 



principally from Northumberland ports in summer, and at Lowestoft 

 and Yarmouth in the autumn. Their summer fishing this year was not 

 very successful. It was unfortunate that not more than 25 of the fleet 

 participated in the most successful Yarmouth fishing, but these did well, 

 the steamers having average gross earnings of £763, the motor boats £450, 

 and the sailers close on £300. As regards the line yawls recently fitted 

 up with motor engines, the crews have appreciated the change in improved 

 catches, but more especially in the greater facility with which they can 

 manoeuvre the boats, sail to the more distant fishing-grounds, and set and 

 haul their lines regardless of wind and tide. 



The home herring fishing, which is pursued in the Firth of Forth, had 

 poor results ; that is, poor in comparison with the good fishings of about 

 half a century ago. The season usually extends from January to April, 

 and some 60 to 70 yawls are employed in it. The year's catch, from all 

 sources, was 3579 crans, and the value £6997. The average price, it will 

 be seen, was almost 40s. per cran, the highest the fishermen here ever 

 obtained, and although the catch was small, the high prices largely com- 

 pensated for the deficiency. 



For the second year in succession the sprat fishing failed, the catch 

 being small in comparison with previous successful seasons. As a rule, 

 8s. to 12s. per cran used to be the range of prices paid for sprats, but owing 

 to the scarcity of the fish, and to the higher place they have taken of late 

 as a substitute for the now very scarce sardine and anchovy, the price for 

 last season's supply averaged 23s. per cran. 



Line fishing, in which some 60 to 80 yawls are employed, appears to be 

 still on the decline. The results were about the same as in the preceding 

 year. Fishermen continue to complain of the scarcity of fish on the 

 inshore grounds, and are regarding this branch of the industry with less 

 and less favour. 



The crab and lobster fisheries were carried on principally from Dunbar 

 and Cove, villages near which favourite haunts of these shellfish have 

 always existed. Good results were obtained, chiefly during the first half 

 of the year, April proving the most productive month. The year's catch 

 was valued at £5289, an increase of £358 as compared with the preceding 

 year, and fully two-thirds was obtained from crabs and clams. 



A considerable quantity of partially-cured cod-fish was brought into 

 Leith in the course of the year from Iceland and Faroe by vessels belonging 

 to these islands and by the regular trading steamers ; and supplies of the 

 same kind were brought from Hull and Grimsby. Owing, probably, to the 

 failure of the Swedish winter herring fishery comparatively light consign- 

 ments of these were delivered at Granton this year, but supplies of Nor- 

 wegian herrings continued to come into the district via Hull, but instead 

 of coming, as formerly, iced fresh, they have of late been coming already 

 kippered. 



The exportation of cured herrings at Leith is an extensive trade. 

 During summer 3 steamers sail weekly for Hamburg, 2 for Stettin, 1 for 

 Dantzig, 1 about once a fortnight for Konigsberg, and 2 for Russian 

 ports. The facilities thus provided by Leith shipping companies are 

 largely taken advantage of by the exporters of herrings and other kinds of 

 fish throughout Scotland and the north of England. The shipments via 

 Leith during the year totalled 203,308 barrels, a decrease of close on 20,000 

 barrels in comparison with the preceding year. 



The various industries connected with fishing, such as barrel, net, ice, 

 and basket manufacturing, were actively carried on. 



On the whole the weather was moderately fair and generally favourable 

 for the prosecution of fishing. Unfortunately, five lives were lost in the 

 course of the year. One yawl was wrecked, but excepting the ordinary 



