180 



Appendices to Twenty-ninth Annual Report 



be understood when it is stated that the capital invested in steam and 

 motor fishing vessels and also in gear has risen in five years from 

 £4,117,549 to £5,450,141. 



During the year under review the total quantity of all kinds of fish 

 landed in Scotland (exclusive of shellfish) was 8,709,655 cwts., which 

 realised £3,100,387. These figures exceed the previous year's totals 

 by 17 per cent, in the catch and 8 per cent, in value. 



Of the total landings, 5,678,428 cwts. and £2,200,497 are referable 

 to the East Coast, 2J374,873 cwts. and £599,645 t Orkney and Shet- 

 land, and 956,354 cwts. and £300,245 to the West Coast of Scotland. 

 The foregoing totals include 3,028,628 cwts. of herrings landed on the 

 East Coast (including Northumberland), 1,967,053 cwts. in Orkney and 

 Shetland, and 691,545 cwts. on the West Coast. The combined catch 

 of all three sections exceeded last year's by about 1,145,929 cwts. and 

 £24,565 in value. 



Of all the branches of the fishing industry, the great summer herring 

 fishing prosecuted on the East Coast and at Orkne^^ and Shetland, in 

 which upwards of 1000 steam drifters and practically all the 1st class 

 boats on the coast were employed, is by far the most important ; next 

 in turn come trawling, lining, cod net, mackerel, and sprat fishing. 



The most striking points in connection with the herring fishing 

 season of 1910 were the unusually early commencement, not only in 

 the Shetland and Orkney Islands, but on the East Coast, the great 

 success which attended the operations, and the early termination of 

 the fishing. In previous years August was considered the premier 

 fishing month, but last year the great bulk of the season's catch had 

 been landed by the end of July. Since the advent of the steam drifter 

 there has been a tendency year by year to prosecute the fishing earlier, 

 until last year a commencement was made in May. The experience 

 already gained in this early fishing has shown that the landing of such 

 large quantities of unripe fish as were placed upon the market in 1910 

 is detrimental to the best interests of the trade. Although in the 

 beginning of the season there was a good demand for a limited quantity 

 of these early herrings — owing to the Continental markets being practi- 

 cally clear of the previous year's stock — with better supplies of more 

 mature herrings the demand for the early goods slackened, with the 

 result that many parcels were neglected, stored, and ultimatelv found 

 unkeepable. Another disadvantage of this early fishing (and its re- 

 striction is beset with many difficulties owing to the numerous interests 

 involved, such as kippering, freshing, etc., for the home and foreign 

 markets) is that it is blocking the market with inferior goods, to the 

 detriment of a more mature and keepable article caught and cured 

 during the months of July and August. On the other hand, there is 

 little prospect of fishermen reverting to the old date, as those who have 

 invested in steam drifters realise that they cannot afford to have so 

 much capital lying idle. Line fishing, which occupies their attention 

 to some extent during the spring months, does not pay so well as 

 herring fishing, hence their desire to commence herring fishing earlier 

 year by year. The early fishing this season was sprung upon the 

 Russian buyers, and large quantities were exported, but the experience 

 they have gained with regard to these early herrings in such as will 

 probably prevent, during the incoming season, a similar business being 

 done in goods of the same description. N'otwithstanding that within 

 recent years there has been a great development of the Russian mar- 

 kets, and that there has been practically an unlimited demand, the 

 goods exported must be of such a nntui-e as will enable th<-»m to stand 

 transport to the interior, which these herrinsrs are not. The Russinns 

 appear to be quite as fond of a well-matured herring as the Germans, 



