202 



Appendices to Thirty-second Annual Report 



have had to be refused. Meantime, there is a scarcity of practical em- 

 ployees in this trade which prevents full advantage being taken of the 

 demand. 



Eighty-five steam drifters, 14 of the large-sized motor boats, and 14 

 sail boats were employed at the English herring fishing. So far as local 

 fishermen were concerned, the fishing only lasted seven or eight weeks, and 

 during that short period a record fishing was landed. The previous year 

 was a prosperous one for all concerned in the herring-fishing industry in 

 that quarter, but the year under review is believed to be the most prosper- 

 ous which fishermen and fish-curers have ever had, especially if the English 

 is taken in conjunction with the Scottish fishing. During the EngHsh 

 fishing a considerable quantity of gear was lost and damaged through weight 

 of fish and fouling. Otherwise the loss of and damage to local boats and 

 their gear was normal. 



Geo. Cormack, 

 Fishery Officer. 



Fishery Office, 

 Fraserburgh, T^AJanwar?/ 1914. 



Ban^ District. 



The outstanding features of the year under review were the falUng off 

 in all kinds of fishing within the district, and the abnormally high prices 

 prevaihng. The herring fishing was the poorest for a number of years, and 

 line fishitig showed a considerable decrease, principally in haddocks, the 

 total catch of which was less than half that of the preceding year. Various 

 causes are assigned for the shortage, the principal being the prevalence of 

 winds from the north and north-east, which made it difficult for sail 

 boats to reach the distant fishing grounds, and scarcity of fish on the inshore 

 grounds. The increase in steam drifters also miUtates against Une fishing, 

 as year by year a greater number of fishermen leave it and follow herring 

 fishing all the year round. Notwithstanding the small catch, fishermen 

 had a remarkably prosperous year, as unusually high prices for green fish 

 more than made up for the shortcoming in quantity. Unfortunately, what 

 meant their success meant the opposite for curers, the high prices which 

 they paid making it almost impossible for the latter to have much, if 

 any, balance on the right side. Following the poor home fishing came a 

 very successful EngUsh fishing, which meant hard work and splendid earn- 

 ings for all fish workers, as well as the clearing out of all stocks of barrels 

 at remunerative prices, whereby ample employment for coopers during 

 the winter is assured. Steam drifters are steadily making headway and 

 sail boats as steadily declining. A number of the latter have been sold, 

 and several old, useless ones broken up, so that although 7 steamers 

 were added to the fleet the number of vessels is slightly reduced. Motor 

 power for small boats is still popular with the Whitehills fishermen, and 

 the success of those already in operation is Hkely to lead to a further 

 increase in that type of boat. 



The only herrings landed during the winter were a few crans brought 

 in by boats returning from the West Coast. 



The summer herring fishing, which began early in May and continued 

 until the first week in September, was hght throughout. June and August 

 were the most successful months, May and July contributing only a small 

 proportion of the catch. In the beginning of the season quality was 

 inferior, but later on the herrings were of fair size and excellent quahty. 

 The fishing was by no means general, and may be described as " spotty," 



