Fishery Board for Scotland. 



XXXI 



exported, and in the amount of brand fees received, are as 

 follow: — 



Years. 



Barrels 

 Cured. 



Barrels 

 Branded. 



Barrels 

 Exported. 



Brand Fees. 



1885, 

 1886, 



1,572, 952^ 

 1,312,2234 



689,325 

 518,994| 



1,128,5894 

 938,369^ 



£11,488 15 0 

 8,649 18 2 



Decrease in 1886, . 



260,729 



170,330£ 



190,220 



£2,838 16 10 



A comparison of the results of 1886 with the average of those 

 of the preceding ten years, shows a large increase in all the items, 

 viz. : — 



Years. 



Barrels 

 Cured. 



Barrels 

 Branded. 



Barrels 

 Exported. 



Brand Fees. 



Average of ten years, ) 

 1876-1885, . \ 



Year 1886, 



1,160,065 

 1,312,223| 



490,963 

 518,994^ 



792,358 

 938,369| 



£8,182 14 4 

 8,649 18 2 



Increase in 1886, 



152,158| 



28,03H 



146,011| 



£467 3 10 



Increase in 

 1886 over 

 average of 

 Xn'eceding 

 ten years. 



WEATHER AND DISASTERS AT SEA. 



The quantity of sea fish landed on the coasts week by week 

 throughout the year is, to a large extent, affected by the state of 

 the weather ; and, as regards the great summer herring fishery, it 

 is of the utmost consequence that there should be suitable weather 

 during the short season in which it is carried on. When great 

 shoals of herrings are discovered, it not unfrequently happens that, 

 if the boats can get regularly to and from the fishing grounds, a 

 large part of the season's catch is landed in a few continuous days, 

 before the shoals remove to other waters ; while, of course, if the 

 boats have now and again to remain in harbour, the result is different. 



The weather during last year was upon the whole favourable 

 for prosecuting the fishing industry. During the great summer 

 herring fishery, there were no severe gales on the East Coast, and 

 nearly every night during the season a considerable number of boats 

 were able to go to sea. High winds were occasionally experienced 

 shortly after the fishing opened in July ; but thereafter, until it 

 closed, the weather was all that could be desired. Orkney and 

 Shetland, however, were less fortunate in this respect, more par- 

 ticularly in Unst in Shetland. The boats there, on account of gales, 

 were frequently obliged to remain in port, or, after they had gone 

 to sea, return without shooting their nets. 



The Board have to express much regret that, during last year, 



Importance of 

 suitable 

 weather, 

 especially as 

 regards 

 Summer 

 Herring- 

 Fishery. 



Weather 

 favourable 

 upon the 

 whole. 



Seventy 

 persons 

 Drowned. 



