xlii 



Fifth Annual Import of the 



-Lybstek District. 



Boundary of 

 District. 



Boats em- 

 ployed and 

 average Catch 

 for each. 



Particulars of 

 Fishing. 



Quality of 

 Herrings. 



Most produc- 

 tive Grounds. 



Barrels Cured. 

 Loss of 

 Netting. 



Winter 

 Fishing. 

 Herrings 

 plentiful, hut 

 prices very low. 



Produce of 

 Season. 



From Dunbeath, exclusive, to East Clyth, inclusive. 



District Fishery Office — Lybster. 



In Lybster district, 90 boats were employed in the summer 

 herring fishing of 1886, being 22 less than in 1885. The 

 average catch per boat was 116 crans, as compared with 138 

 crans in 1885. The season opened on the 20th July, and closed 

 on 1st September. The weather was favourable, and the boats got 

 regularly to sea. The most productive week was the first one in 

 August, when the unusually high average of 95 crans per boat 

 was landed. Notwithstanding this large catch, the work of 

 gutting and curing the fish was on the whole satisfactorily 

 accomplished. A few takes of spent fish were landed ou the 4th 

 and 5 th of August, but, with this exception, the quality was fairly 

 good throughout the season, fully one-half of the whole catch 

 being fine large full fish. The most productive grounds lay from 

 1 to 3 miles off land between Bruan and Lybster, and individual 

 takes, of from 60 to 90 crans, were occasionally brought ashore. 

 The season closed rather suddenly, only 150 crans having -been 

 landed after August 14th. The highest aggregate catch of auy 

 one boat was 300 crans, and the lowest 14 crans. The quantity 

 of herrings cured was 15,050 barrels, as compared with 19,099 in 

 1885, being a decrease of 4049 barrels. The loss of netting, caused 

 by the weight of fish captured, was the greatest ever known in the 

 district. A number of boats lost Lheir entire trains, and few 

 escaped without considerable loss or damage. During the first 

 week of August not less than 1200 nets, valued at £1900, were 

 left on the fishing grounds. 



The winter herring fishing began on 1st January, and ended 

 about the middle of March. Herrings were unusually plentiful 

 on the coast during the season, and takes of from 30 to 50 crans 

 were occasionally landed. The demand, however, being limited, 

 prices, which opened at 20s. a cran, soon fell to 5s. a cran, and 

 ultimately to Is. The fishery produced 2125 crans, which realised 

 an average price of 5s. a cran, as compared with 814 crans in 1885, 

 which brought an average of 21s. During the season one boat, 

 with 70 crans of herrings on board, was run down at sea and lost. 

 Happily, the crew were saved. 



Wick Distbict. 



From East Clyth, exclusive, to Cape Wrath, inclusive, including the Island 

 of Stroma in the Pentland Firth. 



District Fishery Office — Wick. 



In the summer fishing of 1886, 448 boats were employed in 

 Wick district, of which 393 fished at Wick, 17 at Boathaven and 

 Staxigoe, 15 at Kiess, and 23 at Scrabster, being a decrease of 35 

 Particulars of boats from the number in the previous year. The average catch 

 Fishing. p ei . j 3oafc wag yyp crangj ag com p ar ed with 173J craus in 18&5. 



The fishing began on 10th July, and was prosecuted till 15th 

 September. The boats were at sea on 45 nights during the season ; 



Boundary of 

 District. 



448 Boats 

 employed. 



