xxxiv 



Fifth Annual Report of the 



Fishing- 

 Grounds and 

 Particulars of 

 Fishing. 



Quality of 

 Herrings and 

 quantity 

 landed. 



Winter 

 Fishing. 



Particulars 

 thereof. 



Disposal of 

 Herrings. 



Total Catch. 



Six Fishermen 

 drowned. 



was taken at a distance of from 20 to 30 miles at sea. The in- 

 shore fishing grounds were unproductive. The largest take was 

 101 J crans, and the best week of the season yielded 810 crans. 

 The average catch per boat was 133 crans, as compared with 128 

 crans in 1885. The herrings were of poor quality, and contained 

 a large proportion of small maties and spent fish. The total amount 

 of the fishing was 4660 crans. 



The winter herring fishing was prosecuted with indifferent 

 success from October 1885 till March 1886, when it was brought 

 to a close for the season. One hundred boats were employed. 

 The herrings landed were chiefly caught between Inchkeith and 

 Queensferry, and they were of a fair average quality. With the 

 exception of a small proportion which was kippered, they were 

 all sent to the home markets fresh. The total quantity captured 

 was 3820 crans, as compared with 5505 in the previous year ; and 

 the aggregate catch of both the winter and summer fishings amounted 

 to 8480 crans, against 10,635 crans in 1885. During 1886, six 

 fishermen were drowned belonging to this district while prosecuting 

 their calling. 



Boundary of 

 District. 



Summer Fish- 

 ing, its dura- 

 tion and Boats 

 employed. 



Grounds fished 

 and Crans 

 landed. 



500 District 



Boats fished 



elsewhere . 



Winter 



Fishing 



successfully 



prosecuted 



by 220 Boats. 



Particulars 



thereof. 



Quality, Prices 

 and disposal of 

 Herrings. 



Grounds 

 Fished. 



Anstruther District. 



From Buckhaven to the south side of Tay, both inclusive. 



District Fishery Office — Anstruther. 



There is both a summer and a winter herring fishery in Anstruther 

 district. The summer fishing was begun on 12th July and 

 prosecuted till 4th September. The average number of boats em- 

 ployed was 31, and the total catch amounted to 6464 crans. This 

 fishing in the Firth of Forth was, as in many preceding seasons, 

 almost a blank. Herrings have deserted the Fluke Hole and Auld 

 Haikes fishing grounds, which were occasionally so productive. 

 A few crans were got in the beginning of the season at the entrance 

 to the Firth ; but the grounds principally fished lay from 20 to 60 

 miles outside of the May Island. The takes were of fairly good 

 quality up to the first week in August ; after that time they 

 were mainly composed of spent and matie herrings. More than 

 500 first class boats belonging to the district fished at the principal 

 stations from Shields in England to the Shetland Islands. 



The winter herring fishing was very successful, and was prosecuted 

 by 220 boats. The catch from 1st January till the end of March 

 amounted to 25,300 crans, and during December 1436 crans were 

 landed, making a total fishing for the winter season of 26,736 crans. 

 This exceeded the average catch of the last ten winters by 12,099 crans. 

 The most productive week was that which ended 6th February, 

 when 9610 crans were landed. The quality was better than usual. 

 In the former months mentioned fhe herrings realised an average 

 price of 10s. 8Jd. per cran, and in December 20s. 3d. A small 

 part of the catch was bloated or kippered, and the remainder sent 

 to market fresh or slightly salted. As had been the case in 1885, 

 the cost of railway carriage to the markets exceeded the price 

 paid to the fishermen for the herrings. The industry was as 

 usual prosecuted all over the Firth of Forth, but principally near 

 Fifeness and the Island of May. 



