Fifth Annual Report of the 



Net Decrease 

 in 1886 under 

 1885, and 

 Increase 

 during preced- 

 ing fifty years. 



These statistics show that the gross quantity of herrings cured 

 in 1886, on both the East and West Coasts, was less than in 1885 

 by 260,729 barrels ; but the returns for the fifty years preceding 

 last year, on the average of each period of ten years, show a 

 continuous large increase. The following statement gives the 

 particulars of this increase :— 



YearlyAverage 

 Increase in 

 periods of ten 

 years. 



Periods of Ten Years. 



1 



Average Number 

 of Barrels Cured 

 Yearly in each 

 Period. 



Increase in 

 Average Number 

 of Barrels Cured 

 Yearly in each 

 Period. 



Increase per cent. 



in Average 

 Number of Barrels 

 Cured Yearly in 

 each Period. 



1836 to 1845 inclusive, 

 1846 ,, 1855 „ 

 1856 ,, 1865 

 1866 „ 1875 

 1876 1885 



501,321 

 600,894 

 610,972 

 807,736 

 1,160,065 



99 j 573 

 10,078 

 196,764 



352,329 



19-86 

 1-67 

 32-2 

 43-61 



Barrels cured in 1886, . 1,312,223| 



Value of 

 Herring 

 Fishery to 

 People of 

 Scotland. 



Increase per 

 cent, of year 

 1885, over 

 average of 

 preceding ten, 

 twenty-five, 

 and fifty years. 



Great Develop- 

 ment of 

 Fishery since 

 1809. 



Nothing is more striking in the history of the Scottish fisheries 

 than the increasing productiveness of the herring fishery; and 

 some idea may be formed of the great value of this industry 

 to the people of Scotland from tt perusal of the above statement. 

 The gross number of barrels cured in 1886, when compared with 

 the average of the preceding ten years, shows an increase of 13*11 

 per cent. ; when compared with the average of the preceding 

 twenty-five years, it shows an increase of 42*96 per cent ; and of 

 the preceding fifty years, 78*24 per cent. The increasing produc- 

 tiveness of this fishery appears even more remarkable when the fact 

 is borne in mind, which has already been stated, that in the 

 year 1809, when the first returns were compiled by the former 

 Fishery Board, the whole number of barrels cured was only 

 90,185^; while the number cured last year, as shown above, was 

 1,312,2231. 



HERRINGS CURED ON BOARD OF VESSELS AND ON 



SHORE. 



Vessels; and Table I. Appendix A, shows the number of vessels fitted out in 

 Hemngs cured g co tland last year for the herring fishing; the districts from which 

 they were fitted out ; their tonnage, and the number of men ; the 

 quantity of netting, salt, and empty barrels shipped ; and the total 

 number of barrels of white herrings cured on board ; distinguishing 

 those cured gutted from those cured ungutted. 



This branch of the herring fishing industry, chiefly carried on 

 among the sea lochs on the West Coast of Scotland, has been 

 gradually declining for a number of years past; but quite recently, 

 it has to some extent revived on the East Coast. Only 47 vessels 

 were fitted out last year; whereas, at one time, the number varied 



This Industry 

 declining. 



from 90 to upwards of 300. 



Herrings 

 cured on Shore. 



Table II. Appendix A, shows the number of barrels of white 

 cured or salted in Scotland last year by fish-curers on 



herrings 



