Fishery Board for Scotland. 



xxx iii 



The week ending 21st August yielded the largest fishing, when 

 upwards of 14,000 crans, or an average of nearly 50 crans to each 

 boat, were caught. The early fishing commenced at Eyemouth in 

 the beginning of June. It was very productive, and gave to 

 each of 30 boats employed an average of 100 crans. The 

 fishing was not general in the district until towards the end 

 of July, being a week later than usual, and the industry closed on 

 21st September. In June and July, shoals of herrings were met Fishing 

 with both on the inshore and distant fishing grounds, and along the Grounds - 

 entire coast of the district, extending from the Coquet Islands 

 northwards to St Abb's Head ; and in August and September 

 herrings were abundant in the vieinity of the Fame Islands and 

 southwards along the coast from two to ten miles from land. 

 The average quality of the season's catch was inferior, having Quality and 

 lamely consisted of small and spent fish. Prices ranged from £P ce ? of 

 2s. to 48s. per cran, the average being only 8s. Gd. During the 

 season a number of takes, for which no purchaser could be Takes returned 

 found, were returned to the sea; about 300 crans were sold for fo r S Manure ld 

 manure ; and 1500 crans of inferior maties were thrown amongst 

 the offal as not worth curing. The season's fishing was productive 

 of little or no profit either to the great majority of fishermen or curars. 

 The weather was occasionally boisterous in June and July, but 

 very fine in August and September. One fisherman from Holy One Fisher- 

 Island was knocked overboard by the sail of the boat and was man drowned - 

 drowned. No fewer than 620 nets, valued at £1240, were lost or Loss of Nets, 

 seriously injured by the great quantities of herrings which they 

 meshed. Owing to the low price realised for the small-sized her- 

 rings captured during the preceding few years, the new nets used Nets with 

 by the fishermen in this district are generally made with a wider ^ 8 ld J r Mesh 

 mesh than the old ones. Only seven steam tugs were employed steam Tu „ g 

 for towing boats to and from the fishing grounds, against thirty- employed. 0 

 three in 1885, as towage was seldom found necessary owing to the 

 principal fishing grounds lying in close proximity to the land, and 

 besides, the low prices of herrings discouraged the fishermen from 

 hiring such vessels. In the previous year £3700 was paid for the 

 use of the steam tugs then engaged. 



Leith District. 



From the west side of St Abb's Head, inclusive, westwards, and including all Boundary of 

 the south side of the Firth of Forth ; and its north side to Buckhaven District, 

 exclusive. 



District Fishery Office — Leith. 



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

 district. The summer fishing of 1886 began in June, and was pro- Summer Fish- 

 secuted till the middle of September. About 54 boats were at one ^ p ^J oats 

 time employed, but 35 was the average number. Besides these 54 

 boats fishing at home, there were 164 large first-class boats and 

 12 steam fishing boats belonging to the district prosecuting the 

 herring fishing at other places on the East and West Coasts of other Boats of 

 Scotland, and' on the Coasts of England and Ireland. The only, g^ r | shed 

 stations in Leith district from which this fishing was carried 

 on were Dunbar and Newhaven. The greater part of the catch 

 e 



