SOO Appendices to Thirty-second Annual Report 



ings of the steamers ranged from £500 to £1400, and those of the sail boats 

 from £250 to £350, both apparently higher than the previous year. Owing 

 to the weight of fish and frequent fouhng on the limited fishing area, the 

 loss of netting amounted to between £7000 and £8000. 



As already stated, the success which attended the home herring fishing 

 attracted a larger number of stranger craft to the port, and during the 

 busiest part of the season every available foot of space in the harbours 

 was required. Indeed, during several week-ends accommodation could 

 not be found for all the vessels and many had to run to Aberdeen. The 

 Harbour Trustees are therefore faced with the problem of providing 

 extra accommodation. 



The success of the home and English herring fishings created so great 

 a demand for barrels that the stocks were entirely cleared out, and the 

 replenishing of the stores will provide ample employment for barrel- 

 makers throughout the year 1914. To cope with the great demand for 

 barrels, machinery for the jointing of staves and the dressing of the ends 

 was considerably increased towards the end of the year. 



Walter Duff, 

 Fishery Officer. 



Fishery Office, 

 Peterhead, 9th January 1914. 



Fraserhurgh District. 



The most important features of the fishing industry, during the year 

 under review, were the high prices paid for herrings throughout the summer 

 herring fishing, the increase of steam and motor vessels, the decrease of 

 first-class sail boats, and the success which attended all those who went to 

 the EngHsh herring fishing. 



Compared with the former year there are 21 fewer sail boats in the 

 district, with a corresponding decrease in the value of sail boats and also of 

 the fishing gear used by them. On the other hand, there is an increase of 

 21 steam drifters and 7 motor boats, so that after allowing for depreciation, 

 the total value of fishing vessels of all kinds, and their fishing gear, shows 

 an increase of about £50,000. 



The summer herring fishing, which is the principal industry of the 

 district, began on 14th May, and was carried on until the 13th September. 

 Considering the long period over which operations extended, the quantity 

 landed was disappointing. July, which is generally one of the most pro- 

 lific months of the season, produced only about one -half of what was landed 

 in the corresponding month of the previous season. With such a shortage 

 not only here, but at other ports, the demand became keen, and prices 

 moved steadily upwards. . All previous records were exceeded. The price 

 rose to 51s. per cran on 18th July. On 25th August the crew of the sail 

 boat Majestic shot about 15 miles oft St. Combs ; it took 3 boats and 

 their crews to haul and bring the catch to port on the following day, and 

 the fleet of 75 nets produced 364 crans, valued at £826, a record shot for 

 both quantity and value. Other crews who were fishing in close proximity 

 had very meagre catches. This was a peculiar feature of the fishing 

 throughout the season, an occasional crew, or a few crews, securing big 

 shots, while the bulk of the fleet had either missed the fish entirely, or only 

 caught a few crans. Fishermen learned about the middle of the season 

 that Dutch fishermen were getting good catches on the distant fishing 

 grounds by using long buoy ropes, and a rush was made for longer buoy 



