o] the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



191 



Montrose District. 



The prosecution of the different branches of the fisheries in this district 

 during the year 1913 was again, unfortunately, attended with unsatis- 

 factory results. So far as the herring fishing was concerned, the catch 

 was the poorest on record, and the sprat and haddock fishings were com- 

 parative failures. The total quantity of white fish landed in the district 

 for the year shows, when compared with the catch of the previous year, 

 the rather large deficiency of 23,794 cwts., but there was an increase in 

 value of £677, this latter fact being solely due to the high prices paid for 

 fish of all kinds consequent on their scarcity. 



The means of capture returns are again noteworthy on account of the 

 continued progress made in the instaUing of auxihary motor-power into 

 fishing skiffs. Since the returns for 1912 were compiled, 34 boats have been 

 fitted with motors, but only 2 of these were large first-class boats. The 

 popular motor craft in this district are still those skiffs and yawls ranging 

 from 25 to 40 feet keel. The larger boats of this type have proved to be 

 eminently adapted for both line and net fishing, which means that they 

 are almost constantly engaged at some method of fishing, whereas the 

 large first-class motor boats are invariably laid up for almost six months 

 every year. Another strong factor which is much in favour of the large 

 auxihary sldff is that when new it only costs £450, as compared with £1400 

 for a new large first-class boat with motor-power installed. The favourite 

 types of motors were the Kelvin, Gardner, and Alpha, all of which are 

 giving satisfaction in most respects. The limited Habihty company 

 formed at Johnshaven during the latter part of 1912 own 4 motor skiffs, 

 and but for the difficulty experienced in getting suitable crews in the 

 village to man them, the probabihty is that the company would have a 

 larger fleet by now. 



As already stated, the herring fishing was a complete failure, and coming 

 as it did after a poor season in 1912 its bad results were of course more 

 acutely felt. The fishing began about the middle of June, and operations 

 were regularly pursued until towards the end of August, when the season 

 closed. At no time during the summer were there any indications of the 

 presence of a large shoal of herrings, either in the inshore or offshore 

 waters of the district. The largest proportion of the small catch landed 

 was caught in the distant waters off the Berwickshire coast, where on 

 several occasions some big shots of fine herrings were secured and brought 

 to Montrose. Owing, no doubt, to their success there in former years, 

 the local fishermen nearly all favoured operating on the southern grounds. 

 Had they, however, fished in a more easterly direction the likehhood was 

 that their arduous and unfruitful labours would have been attended with 

 much better success, as on many occasions large catches of herrings were 

 landed at Aberdeen, which were got in the waters bearing about 75 miles 

 east from Scurdyness. Again, owing to the exceptionally calm and clear 

 weather that prevailed during the greater part of the season the herrings 

 did not seem to rise so readily to the surface as they used to do, and as the 

 fishermen in general did not adopt the practical methods of those pioneers 

 of the herring fishing the Dutchmen by lengthening their buoy ropes they 

 were seldom able to secure good catches. Much of the success which 

 attended the Dutch fleet off our coast last year was said to be due to their 

 circumventing the prevalent weather conditions by lengthening their buoy 

 ropes, and thereby allowing the nets to sink further, so as to meet the 

 herrings. 



The quahty of the herrings landed was, as a rule, good, and the demand 

 was always brisk owing to the scant supphes. The season's average price 



