xvi 



Twenty-ninth Annual Report 



the fishing grounds, as witness the good catches obtained in September, 

 as to the unfavourable conditions under which operations were carried 

 on. During practically the whole of August the weather was calm 

 and dull, with, over many areas, fog — conditions under which the fish 

 will not rise to the nets, so that boats were frequently at sea for 

 several nights in succession without securing a single fish. The great 

 distance at which, in many instances, the shoals were found offshore 

 was also inimical to the success of the tishing, even steam drifters not 

 being able to make more than two or three trips weekly. The falling 

 off in the catch was entirely referable to Shetland district, where the 

 landings fell from 886,000 cwts. to 636,000 cwts., but this deficit was 

 largely counterbalanced by an increase of 100,000 cwts. in Orkney, 

 46,000 cwts. on the West Coast, and 12,000 cwts. on the East Coast. 

 The increased landings on the West Coast were in a large measure 

 referable to Lochcarron and Skye district, with a total of 82,621 cwts., 

 as against 17,273 cwts. in 1909. This quantity was practically all 

 secured during October and November in Loch Snizort, where herrings 

 have not been known to appear for many years. Another instance of 

 the erratic movements of the herring is furnished by Barra district, 

 where, for the first time in the history of the district, a regular fishing, 

 in which about 100 East Coast steam drifters participated, was carried 

 on from the middle of July until September. Towards the total 

 catch the East Coast contributed 59 per cent., Orkney and Shetland 

 29 per cent., and the West Coast 12 per cent., the corresponding 

 percentages for 1909 being 57, 33, and 10. 



The decrease in value was wholly referable to the East Coast and 

 Orkney and Shetland, the average price per cwt. for these sections 

 having fallen from 8s. (which is, however, an exceptional price) in 

 1909 to 6s. 6d. during 1910. The latter price is, nevertheless, 

 distinctly above the average, and would, moreover, have been higher 

 still if the quality of the fish landed during August had been up to 

 the usual standard. As it was, a large proportion of the landings 

 during that month consisted of " spents " and " matties," and in this 

 connection it is worthy of remark that, since the introduction of the 

 float-net system of fishing, the quantity of herrings landed containing 

 milt or roe is said to have decreased, the reason ascribed being that in 

 calm weather herrings which are approaching the spawning period do 

 not rise to the surface, so that at such times only spent or immature 

 herrings are caught by the method referred to. Be this as it may, it 

 is undoubtedly the case that fishermen have frequently reported that 

 Dutch vessels, using nets with long buoy ropes, have hauled heavy 

 catches of herrings of prime quality, when the home vessels alongside 

 of them were obtaining only a few crans of poor quality. 



The percentages of the total value attributable to the three sections 

 of the coast are 56, 32, and 12 respectively. 



Early Summer Fishing. 



As was pointed out in last year's Report, this fishing was formerly 

 practically confined to the West Coast and the west side of Shetland, 

 and the distinction between it and the great summer fishing was quite 

 a natural one. Only a few years ago the only places at which, 

 according to all accepted canons, fishing operations might legitimately 



