432 



Appendices to Fifth Annual Report 



.shows the catch and value of the herrings landed from the winter fishing 

 alone for each of the past eleven years : — 



Year. Boats Fishing. Crans. . Avera £ e Price Total Value. 



p6i uraii. 



1876. 123 6,071 45/ £13,610 



1877. 175 10,254 45/ 23,625 



1878. 191 17,830 50/ 44,575 



1879. 304 20,092 50/ 50,230 



1880. 364 31,292 47/ 73,536 



1881. 407 24,294 52/ 65,100 



1882. 422 8,708 50/ 22,770 



1883. 408 31,374 50/ 78,435 



1884. 443 14,564 50/ 43,692 



1885. 411 27,671 40/ 46,673 



1886. 296 4,760 21/ 5,168 



For a long time the Ballantrae winter herring fishing was the principal 

 one in Scotland, and a mine of wealth to the fishermen, who came from 

 all parts of the coast to engage in it ; but during the last three years a 

 successful winter fishing has been carried on over the East Coast, from 

 the Firth of Forth to Wick, and large importations coming into the home 

 markets of partially preserved herrings from Norway. Prices have come 

 down to one-third of those of previous years, and in consequence the 

 fishing has not been so extensively or energetically prosecuted as formerly. 

 This year only 296 boats were fishing in the district, and not more than 

 a third even of these were at any time at sea. The catch was therefore 

 only 4760 crans, valued at £5168. 



Migration of the Herrings towards the Banks. — The Ballantrae banks 

 are regarded as the spawning ground of the Loch Fyne and Kilbrannan 

 Sound herrings, and a desire has for years been entertained by the Argyle- 

 shire fishermen to have thern closed during the months of February and 

 March, when the herrings are on the banks spawning. That the banks 

 are visited by migratory herrings for the purpose of spawning is unques- 

 tionable, and there are apparently two races of herrings which come to 

 them. The one leaving Loch Fyne in September can be traced along 

 the Ayrshire coast till they reach the banks in February. The other 

 comes either from the Atlantic or Kilbrannan Sound, approaching the 

 banks from the west sea. This latter fish are larger and more uniform in 

 size than the former. Herrings usually make their appearance on the 

 Ayrshire coast, off Dunure, in January, and as the season advances come 

 gradually higher up, and forming into large bodies, arrive on the banks 

 about the middle of February, where they remain until they spawn, when 

 they immediately leave the ground without indicating any determinate 

 track, — a wise arrangement of nature to preserve the herrings from 

 devouring their own spawn. Herrings come on the banks year after year 

 with the certainty of a saint's day in the calendar, and depart with equal 

 regularity. The spawn left on the banks speedily quickens, the embryo 

 herring exhibiting in the egg a lively action. The progress of develop- 

 ment is rapid, and in the end of March the banks are swarming with 

 young herring fry. 



As soon as they are hatched the fry begin to ascend and come to the 

 surface, where their food is to be got. When the sun shines on the water 

 hundreds may be caught in a gauze-net or bucket, but die with the 

 slightest touch. The plash of an oar, or the revolving screw of a passing 

 steamer, may at such a time destroy immense numbers. 



Modes of Fishing. — Three modes of fishing are practised at the 

 Ballantrae fishing, the drift-net, set-trammel-net, and seine or circle net 

 in turn coming into use. The drift-net is employed in the open sea 

 when the herrings are migrating to the banks, and when they settle 



