of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



227 



the good prices ruling for that fish the season proved a profitable one, the 

 most successful boat grossing about £120. 



The winter herring fishing (continued from the previous year) was 

 fairly successful. The principal centres were Loch Bracadale and Dun- 

 vegan. In Loch Bracadale a dense shoal of herrings remained throughout 

 the winter months, but owing to a succession of southerly and westerly 

 gales only steam drifters were able to participate in the fishing. There 

 are no curing stations in the vicinity of Loch Bracadale, consequently 

 motor sldffs were hindered from prosecuting the fishing, as they were 

 unable to undertake the stormy passage to Mallaig, where the bulk of 

 the herrings were disposed of. The fishing in this loch is a precarious one 

 during stormy weather. No less than 3 Moray Firth steam drifters got 

 stranded on sunken rocks within a fortnight, and required the services of a 

 salvage vessel before they could be got off. The season closed about the 

 end of February with a catch of 3838 crans, valued at £3457. 



The summer and autumn herring fishing was commenced in the month 

 of June. Fish appeared in most of the district lochs, but the chief centre 

 during the earfier part of the season was at Uig. A fair fleet of local craft 

 operated in Loch Snizort, but the fishing was not a successful one, catches 

 being comparatively fight throughout the season. In contrast to former 

 years, when the bulk of the catch was sent to other districts to be cured, 

 the whole catch this year was prepared for export in the locality, seven 

 stations being now available for that purpose. The quafity of the fish was 

 good, and the whole catch was exported to the Continental and American 

 markets, chiefly via Leith and Glasgow. The season closed about the end 

 of September, the catch showing a reduction of 4187 crans, as compared 

 with the previous year's figures, and although several attempts were made 

 after that date the fishing proved a failure. 



In Loch Bracadale the fishing commenced about the close of the Loch 

 Snizort season, and continued until about the close of the year. The 

 general results were disappointing. No doubt the exceedingly stormy 

 weather during the last three months of the year proved a great drawback, 

 and consequently the fishing was very irregular. On several occasions 

 some heavy takes were secured, only, however, to be followed by a complete 

 blank. The bulk of the fleet consisted of stranger boats, principally from 

 the East Coast and Barra. As in the case of the winter fishing, steam 

 drifters proceeded with their catches to Mallaig, where they secured a good 

 market for their fish, prices ruHng from 22s. to as high as 50s. per cran, 

 while the smaller craft, and even large sail boats, were forced to dispose of 

 their catches in the loch to buying steamers and smacks at considerably 

 reduced prices, viz., from 24s. to as low as 8s. per cran. The quantity of 

 herrings recorded for the creek is similar to that of last year, but the 

 quantity netted in the loch by steam drifters and landed at Stornoway and 

 Mallaig is small, compared with last year's figures. It may be mentioned 

 that during November and December 1912 the principal fishing ground of 

 the Mallaig and Stornoway fleets was in Loch Bracadale. The quality of 

 the herrings towards the end of the year was indifierent, the fish being 

 mostly spent. 



The mackerel fishing resulted in a slight decrease. The principal 

 mackerel fishing stations are Portree and Kyle, and the usual fishing ground 

 is round the islands of Raasay and Scalpa. The bulk of the catch was 

 despatched to the Enghsh markets in a fresh state. Owing to the un- 

 remunerative returns for cured mackerel in the previous year, only 21 

 barrels were cured, which were shipped via Glasgow and Liverpool to 

 America, and sold at about 41s. 6d. per barrel. The average price of 

 mackerel was 16s. 5d. per cran. One of the chief drawbacks to the develop- 

 ment of mackerel curing is the scarcity of skilled labour. Consequently 



