X 



Twenty -ninth Annual Bejyort 



These figures speak eloquently for themselves, but one may be 

 permitted to point out that since 1899 the number of vessels in the 

 fleet has been multiplied 16 times, the value 20 times, and the value 

 of the gear 37 times, the greater relative increase in the two latter 

 cases being, of course, due to the larger size of the boats built in 

 recent years and to their improved equipment both in respect of 

 labour-saving appliances and of fishing gear. In this connection, 

 however, it should be noted that within the last two or three years 

 there has been a tendency in some quarters to revert to the smaller 

 type of steam vessels built of wood, as it has been found that the 

 working expenses absorb a smaller percentage of the earnings and give 

 a better net return to the owners. 



During the year under review the vessels engaged in the principal 

 fishings off the Scottish and English coasts had fair earnings, and the 

 following Table, in continuation of that published last year, shows the 

 results for the principal districts : — 





Average Earnings per Vessel. 



District. 



Great Summer Herring 



English 



Herring 





Fishing. 



Fishing. 





1910. 



1909. 



1910. 



1909. 





£ 



£ 



£ 



£ 



Anstruther, . . 



840 



969 



547 



468 



Aberdeen, . . 



720 



800 



562 



522 



Peterhead, . . 



1,029 



942 



600 



512 



Fraserburgh, 

 Banff,* 



1,030 



590 



790 



480 



750 



850 



646 



582 



Wick, 



1,000 



1,310 



540 



560 



* Includes also early herring fishing. 



In most instances it will be seen that the gross income at the great 

 summer herring fishing was rather smaller than in the preceding year, 

 this being due to the smaller catch secured and to comparatively low 

 prices early in the season. The Peterhead and Fraserburgh fleets, 

 however, were more successful than their neighbours, the Fraserburgh 

 crews in particular having much larger earnings. At the English 

 fishing the earnings were, on the whole, greater than in the preceding 

 year, owing to the very high prices prevailing, but the satisfaction 

 with the results was largely discounted by the loss of gear which was 

 suffered owing to stormy weather. Working expenses, on the whole, 

 did not differ materially from those in 1909. 



It will, of course, l3e understood that these herring fishings did 

 not absorb the whole of the energies of the fishermen owning steam 

 vessels. Certain of them engaged in great-line fishing during the 

 early months of the year, while others followed the early herring 

 fishings. These fishings are not generally so popular among the 

 fishermen, as unless the catches are very good the earnings do not 

 compensate for the labour involved and for the wear and tear of gear 



