of the Fishery Board for Scotlmid. 



233 



Kilbrannan Sound. With the advent of July prospects slightly improved, 

 and a number of crews returned from Campbeltown district to try the local 

 waters. The improvement was not, however, very pronounced, as the 

 catch for the month amounted to only 850 (;rans. Operations were con- 

 tinued throughout the month of August, when the landings were rather 

 better; but subsequently little was done, and, with the exception of the 

 older fishermen, all the crews left for Campbeltown and other districts. 



The catch for the season amounted to 3056 crans valued at £5048, 

 compared with 2192 crans valued at £2182 in 1912. 



The quality of the herrings landed in the early part of the season was 

 mixed, but thereafter it was very good. The demand was very keen, and 

 prices ruled from 10s. to 67s. per cran, the general range being from 30s. to 

 40s. 



At Stranraer in the early part of the year all the fishermen from 

 Inveraray district did well, the earnings of the best fished " pair " being 

 fully £550 for a period of about four weeks, while in Campbeltown district 

 during the summer months, and later at Ayr, the results were again 

 remunerative. 



Curing operations were again conducted on a very limited scale. The 

 poor supply of herrings, and the great demand for freshing purposes, left 

 the curers little scope, with the result that the barrels cured numbered 

 only 246. Three-fourths of the quantity cured was dealt with at Ardrishaig 

 and the remainder at Tarbert. All were disposed of in the surrounding 

 district at prices varying from 26s. to 38s. per barrel, the average price 

 being fully 31s. 



During the months of July and August mackerel were very plentiful 

 in all parts of Loch Fyne , but as this fishery usually proves unprofitable, 

 there being little demand for this class of fish in the district, little attention 

 was given to its prosecution. 



In fact, there were instances when fishermen, finding they had encircled 

 mackerel instead of herrings, allowed the fish to escape. 



The quality was, it is true, inferior to that of the previous year, but 

 even with good quality the demand is always very limited. The quantity 

 landed was 2363 cwts. valued at £318, as compared with 3387 cwts. and 

 £642 in 1912. 



Prices ranged from Is. to 6s. — generally from 2s. to 3s. — and the average 

 price was 2s. 8d. per cwt. 



With the exception of a few cwts. all were caught with seine nets. 



Line fishing is of little importance in this district. Early in the season 

 fewer boats were engaged owing to a number, of the regular line fishermen 

 being employed at herring fishing from Stranraer. Notwithstanding 

 this, the season showed slightly better results than during 1912, there being 

 an improvement in the average landings. The catch as usual consisted 

 almost entirely of codlings, which realised from 16s. to 20s. per cwt. 



Cod -net fishing w^as prosecuted by a few crews for two months with less 

 successful results, there being a decrease of about 30 per cent, from the 

 previous year's figures. 



The output of oysters showed a slight increase, but the total was 

 insignificant considering the extensive beds and their advantageous 

 position. Little interest appears to be taken in oyster culture in this 

 district, however, and from various causes, natural and otherwise, the 

 stock in the Tarbert beds is being gradually depleted. 



The quantity of lobsters knded also showed a falling off, chiefly at 

 the Island of Luing, where the number landed was 15 per cent, less than in 

 the preceding year. 



Best results were obtained during the period from June to September. 



Boat-builders were employed during the greater part of the year with 

 II* 



