Fishery Board for Scotland. 



xix 



districts of Eyemouth, Peterhead, Banff, Buckie, Findhorn, 



Cromarty, Helmsdale, Lybster, Wick, and Orkney ; and it was 



in them where a large portion of that season's fishing was got. 



The return of herrings to the in-shore grounds was even more 



marked in the season of 1886, as all along the East Coast, from markedin 



Montrose to the Pentland Firth, there seemed to be one immense 1886. 



unbroken shoal of herrings, lying from one to ten miles off' land. 



At no former period in the history of this fishery were the catches 



so heavy. During the month of August individual takes, ranging Very heavy 



from 100 to 120 crans and upwards, were very frequently landed. August. m 



On the 4th of that mouth the total catch was very great, amounting 



in the twelve districts embraced in the last named area to 50,422 



crans; while in the week ending 7th August, 162,731 crans were 



landed. The gross catch over all the East Coast during August 



amounted to 472,470 crans. Before the end of that month fears Owing to a fear 



were entertained that, if the industry was further prosecuted with Fishing pnCeS ' 



any degree of energy, too many fish would be brought to market, closed before 



and there would be a great fall in prices, as had been the case in coast! lgS left 



the two preceding years ; and on this ground, although there were 



still plenty of herrings upon the coast, the fishing was practically 



closed at most of the stations. 



Seven fishing boats, propelled by steam, were employed at |Q e a a t ^ u ^ d hing 

 Aberdeen last season. Owing, however, to the herring shoals a s se 

 having been found upon the in-shore grounds, steam power was 

 comparatively not so advantageous, as if the fishing had been 

 prosecuted far out at sea. 



Speaking generally, the herrings landed last year were of Quality of 

 superior quality. The takes had a larger proportion of full and Herrln s s - 

 spent herrings than those caught in the two preceding years, and 

 they contained only about half the quantity of maties. 



The winter herring fishery on the East Coast was the most Winter Her- 

 productive ever known, and yielded a total catch of 128,441 crans. Eaft^oast 7 ° n 

 In January, great shoals of herrings were found all along the East most produc- 

 Coast from the Firth of Forth to Wick, lying from one to five miles known. er 

 off land. Formerly herrings taken in winter were made into kippers 

 or bloaters, or consumed fresh or in a lightly salted state. Owing, How Herrings 

 however, to the great quantity landed last winter, there was ^ f ere dlsposed 

 difficulty in getting them disposed of in this way at anything like 

 fair prices ; and curers, in the hope of turning them to more 

 profitable account, cured a considerable portion for exportation to 

 the Continent. 



With regard to the quantity of herrings branded, it is of import- Quantity of 

 ance to state that, although the total quantity of herrings cured and Branded 3 

 exported in 1886 was less than in 1885, the proportion of barrels 

 branded to the number cured greatly exceeded the average of 

 recent years. The number branded was 518,994J. The fee Amount of 

 charged is 4d. a barrel, and the amount received by the j^^d. 668 

 Board for this service last year was £8649, 18s. 2d. As the 

 taking of the brand is entirely optional on the part of curers, 

 the large continued demand for branded herrings is gratifying 

 to the Board, as showing the estimation in which the standard of 

 cure required is held. 



The total quantity of cured herrings exported last year was Cured Her- 



° ■*• " rings exported. 



