xl 



Fifth Annual Report of the 



Quantity of 

 Herrings 

 Cured. 

 Weather. 



Winter 

 Herring 

 Fishing. 



Particulars 

 thereof. 



Quality and 

 prices of 

 Herrings. 



Boundary of 

 District. 



Fleet of Boats. 



Particulars of 

 Fishing. 



Quantity of 



Herrings 



Cured. 



Fishing 

 Grounds. 



Weather. 



Winter Fish- 

 ing most 

 abundant, but 

 prices very low. 



and spent fish. The most abundant fishing was made in the week 

 ending 7th August, and yielded the high average of 90 J crans per 

 boat. A number of individual takes ranged from 60 to 80 crans. 

 During the rest of the season the weekly averages varied from 12 

 to 27 crans per boat. The gross quantity cured was 38,521 

 barrels, as compared with 25,175 in 1885, being an increase of 

 13,346 barrels. The weather was generally very good throughout 

 the season, and the fishing was regularly prosecuted, except on five 

 nights, when the boats were kept in harbour by storms. 



The winter herring fishing commenced on 1st January, and 

 was continued till about the end of March. Tt was prosecuted 

 during most of the time in close proximity to the land by 169 boats, 

 and proved the most successful winter fishing ever made in the 

 district. The total catch was 15,675 crans. Of these about 3700 

 crans were cured as kippers or bloaters, and the remainder was sent 

 to market in a roused state. The quality of the herrings taken in 

 winter was good during the greater part of the season, and prices 

 varied from Is. to 40s. a cran, the average being about 9s. The 

 fishing was resumed in December, during which month 601 crans 

 were landed. 



Findhorn District. 



From west side of Spey to south side of Kessock Ferry, both inclusive. 



District Fiihery Office— Bunjhead. 



In Findhorn district, 55 boats were engaged in the summer 

 herring fishing last year, of which 23 were stationed at Lossie- 

 mouth, 9 at Hopeman, and 23 at Burghead, being an increase of 5 

 boats over the number in 1885. There are altogether 320 large 

 first-class boats belonging to this district, but all the others fished 

 elsewhere. The average catch per boat, of the 55 which remained 

 at home, was 149 crans, as compared with 125 crans in 1885; and 

 the average quantity per boat landed at Lossiemouth, Ilopeman, and 

 Burghead, was 149J, 195, and 130 crans respectively^ The fishing 

 opened about the middle of July, being the same time as in the 

 previous year, and closed on 28th August. The week ending 7th 

 August was the most productive of the season, and yielded an 

 average of 67J crans per boat. The highest aggregate catch of any 

 one boat was 300 crans, and the lowest 60 crans. The total 

 quantity of herrings cured was 13,268 barrels,, as compared with 

 7687 in 1885, being an increase of 5581 barrels. Of the herrings 

 landed, nearly three-fourths were maties or spent fish. The principal 

 fishing grounds lay from 5 to 10 miles oft shore, but occasionally the 

 boats went to grounds 25 miles distant. The weather was re- 

 markably fine all the season, and the fishing was regularly 

 prosecuted. 



The winter herring fishing was most abundant, and yielded 7764 

 crans, being the highest catch ever recorded for the district. 

 Prices, however, were very low, ranging from 2s. to 25s. a cran — the 

 average being about 6s. Indeed, the fishermen often experienced 

 difficulty in getting their takes sold at any price, and sometimes 

 they had to throw the fish overboard, or land them on the quay 

 to be carted away for manure. 



