Fishery Board for Scotland. 



Ivii 



ful to pack, ship, or export cured white herrings in barrels 

 made in such manner and of such materials, and with such hoops 

 as may be approved by the Board, who are empowered to make 

 regulations on the subject, and from time to time to alter the 

 same. The Board thereafter made additional regulations, which Additional 

 are now in force, under which every barrel or half-barrel for J^ae latlons 

 cured white herrings may be hooped entirely with iron hoops, or 

 partly with wooden and partly with iron hoops. 



During 1886, the new regulations were taken advantage of in To what extent 

 fourteen of the twenty districts where herring barrels are manu- *^of dvan " 

 factured. The gross number of barrels made in Scotland in that 

 year was 926,768 ; of which about 42,860 were hooped, either in 

 whole or in part, with iron hoops. The use of iron hoops is thus 

 having a fair trial, and in the meantime the trade generally seem 

 to be satisfied with the results, both as to the barrels themselves, 

 and the price at which they can be supplied. 



Standard Measure for Herrings. 



In the course of last year representations were made to the Board. Fishermen 

 by large numbers of fishermen at different parts of the coasts, that Q^rtoCran 

 the mode adopted for the measurement of fresh herrings, as between Measure be 

 buyer and seller, w T as of a very unsatisfactory character, and they iegaiised. 

 asked that the Board would take steps to put matters on a better 

 footing, and especially that they would frame a regulation for mak- 

 ing quarter cran measures of basket work, and legalise their use. 



The fishermen complained that, when delivering herrings from Reasons 

 their boats, baskets were frequently used for measuring them, therefor - 

 which, while being represented as of the capacity of a quarter cran, 

 were of larger size ; and that they thereby sustained considerable 

 loss by giving more herrings than the quantity for which they 

 were paid. The only standard measure for the sale of fresh How matter 

 herrings is the cran, the capacity of which is 37-J imperial gallons, now stands - 

 and it would not be practicable also to legalise as a standard a 

 quarter cran, of the fourth part of that capacity, as herrings would 

 not lie proportionately so compactly together in the smaller measure 

 as in the larger one. Accordingly, when a quarter cran is referred 

 to in the Act 14 and 15 Vict. cap. 26, it does not mean a measure 

 equal to one-fourth of the capacity of a cran, but such ' as on being 

 ' filled four times with herrings shall make a complete cran.' 



The Board, after giving the whole matter their full consideration, 



Board resolve 



deemed that the best way of remedying the grievance complained ^ t ^}l^ CrSin 

 of, would be to keep a cran measure, officially stamped, in each of Measure in™ 11 

 their twenty-six district offices along the coasts, so that fishermen District Offices 

 and fish merchants might be able to test by this standard the size Slze 0 

 of all baskets or other measures used. This course was accordingly measures, 

 adopted, and it is gratifying to know that it has given satisfaction 

 to the fishermen generally. 



It may be added, that a measure of the capacity of about 10 

 gallons, if filled 4 times with herrings, will make a complete cran of 

 37£ gallons ; and it would be well if every fishing boat provided itself 

 with such a measure, so that the size of any baskets or boxes used 

 by purchasers of herrings could be at once tested. 

 h 



