xxxiv 



Twenty -ninth Annual Report 



of £20,000, for repairing and overhauling fishing vessels, and so great 

 a boon have these proved that a third is in course of erection. There 

 is also on foot at the present time a very large scheme of harbour 

 improvement at Torry, which includes extension of quays and provision 

 of new docks, and which, when completed, cannot fail to prove of the 

 greatest benefit to all classes of fishing vessels working from the port. 



The harbour dues on fishing vessels are: — Trawlers, 6s. per arrival; 

 steam liners, 4s. ; and small-line boats, 2s. per month, with a discount 

 of 20 per cent. In addition, 2d. percwt. is charged on all fish landed, 

 half of which is claimed by the Town Council, to whom the fish 

 market buildings belong. The revenue from fish (exclusive of 

 herrings) amounted in 1910 to £17,948, as compared with £11,816 in 

 1902, but this does not represent the whole revenue attributable to 

 the white-fish fishing industry, as there are many kinds of goods, such 

 as coal, iron, timber, salt, &c., connected therewith, which cannot be 

 separated from the general harbour account. If anything further 

 were necessary to show the present-day importance of Aberdeen as a 

 great fishing centre, it would be found in the fact that in 1910 the 

 quantity and value of white-fish landed was the highest in the history 

 of the port, and that it contributed 65 per cent, of the total quantity, 

 and 69 per cent, of the value, of the white-fish landed in Scotland. 



The development of the Aberdeen fishing industry cannot be 

 summed up better than in the words of the Annual Keport of 1902. 

 In that report it was stated that " since trawling as an organised 

 " industry was introduced, the history of Aberdeen has been one of 

 " uninterrupted progress, and the success of the fisheries has been 

 " reflected in the prosperity of the varied allied industries, and has, 

 " indeed, acted beneficially upon all classes of the community. Aber- 

 " deen has ever been prominent in the introduction of improved 

 "methods of fishing, of improved construction and equipment of 

 " fishing boats, and of improved facilities for the discharge, sale, and 

 " distribution of the enormous and ever-increasing quantities of fish 

 " landed ; its history during these years has, in fact, been an epitome 

 " of all that is enterprising and progressive in the fishing industry." 



These words apply with even greater force to-day. Nor have the 

 Board been slow to recognise the great importance and value of the 

 statistics available at Aberdeen, for there has been instituted there 

 the most elaborate and comprehensive scheme for the collection of 

 fishery statistics that anywhere exists. 



Dealing now with the five years which have elapsed since the last 

 account was published, it may at once be stated that the quantity and 

 value of the white-fish landed has steadily increased throughout that 

 period. The position can, however, best be exhibited in tabular form. 



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