of the Fisher If Board for Scotland. 



191 



branch of the industry. For many years after the herring fishery was 

 established at Stornoway the recognised season was May and June. Later 

 on a winter fishing was established ; now herrings are caught in each month 

 of the year. For the first quarter the catch was 25,190 crans, in the second 

 15,417 crans, in the third 6,789 crans, and in the fourth 6671 crans, being 

 a decrease of 26,108 crans in quantity and £17,465 in value as compared 

 with the preceding year's returns. Most of the herrings accounted for 

 during the first five months of the year were caught by East Coast crews, 

 and during the remainder of the year by West Coast crews. The quality of 

 the herrrings caught during the summer months was exceptionally good. A 

 considerable portion of the catch was kippered and freshed. Those cured 

 were exported to Germany, Russia, and America, and the sale returns were 

 generally satisfactory. 



Previous to the development of the travi^ling industry in Northern waters, 

 fishermen from the Banffshire coast invariably met with remarkable success 

 at great-line fishing in Loch Broom district. Large quantities of cod and 

 ling were caught during the spring months. These the fishermen cured and 

 dried on the spot. Thereafter the fish were brought to Aberdeen, Leith, and 

 Glasgow, and generally sold at from £17 to £20 per ton. Several of the 

 local fishermen also became expert line fishers, and when the fishing failed 

 removed to the East Coast. One of these, who settled at Peterhead, was 

 amongst the first to become the owner of a steam fishing vessel, and for years 

 has been considered one of the most successful net and line fishermen belong- 

 ing to the port. Within recent years little has been done at line fishing, and 

 the annual value of all kinds now caught varies from £4000 to £5000, being 

 about the same annual value as the shell fisheries of the district. Ullapool, 

 the principal village and herring-curing station, is one of the pioneer places 

 created over 100 years ago for the development of the fisheries. Perhaps in 

 no other district has the herring fishery proved so unreliable — varying 

 annually from as low as 1000 crans to about 50,000 crans. For 

 1910 the catch was 7293 crans. Extensive preparations were made by 

 curers and others, and by the beginning of October a large and well-equipped 

 fleet of sail and motor craft had congregated at Ullapool, In the latter part 

 of October only was the catch sufficient to meet working expenses. There- 

 after so little was done that the stranger crews left, and the curing stations 

 Avere closed. 



The line fisheries in Loch Carron and Skye district vary little annually. 

 For the year 1910 the value of all kinds accounted for was about £5000. 

 Mackerel fishing was, as usual, engaged in to a small extent, and much better 

 results were obtained than in the preceding year, over 8000 cwts. being 

 landed, at an average price of about 5s. per cwt. Nearly all was caught 

 during the month of September and forwarded to the English markets in a 

 fresh state. The annual value of the shell fisheries of the district is about 

 £6000, chiefly for lobsters and whelks. Herrings were fairly plentiful 

 throughout the year, and the best results were obtained during the months of 

 January, November, and December. For 1910 the catch was 30,092 crans, 

 being an increase of 22,164 crans as compared with the returns for 1909. 

 Owing to the comparative failure of the herring fishing in the principal 

 lochs of the district for years in succession, the number of district fishermen 

 is annually decreasing, and during the year under review most of the 

 herrings were caught by crews from various West and East Coast districts. 

 In the early part of the year the fishing Avas carried on in the neighbourhood 

 of Kyle-of-Lochalsh, and the catch was immediately despatched by rail to 

 the Southern markets. During the last quarter of the year most of the 

 herrings were caught on the west side of Skye, and a large portion of the 

 catch had to be despatched to, and cured at, Stornoway, yet owing to the 

 keen demand for curing purposes the prices obtained were exceptionally 

 high. 



