192 



Appendices to Twenty-ninth Annual Beport 



The white fisheries of Barra district were of considerable importance 

 previous to, and for a number of years after, the commencement of herring 

 fishing in the year 1868. Within recent years very little has been done at 

 line fishing of any kind, and the catch for 1910 was abc>ut the poorest 

 recorded. For many years the majority of the fishermen were employed 

 during the summer months as hired men on board East Coast craft. The 

 knowledge of herring fishing thus acquired enabled them to engage in this 

 branch of the industry on their own account. Within recent years they 

 have done very well at herring fishing, and during the year 1910 exception- 

 ally well, especially during the summer months. For years after herring 

 fishing was commenced at Barra, operations were confined to the months of 

 May and June. More or less herrings are now accounted for in each month 

 of the year, and during the past year there was an exceptionally heavy catch 

 of superior quality during the months of August and September, in which 

 the local fishermen largely participated. Although a large fleet of East 

 Coast craft, steam and sail, operated during the months of May and June, the 

 catch amounted to only 21,300 crans, at an average price of 17s. per cran, 

 as compared with 14,200 crans, at an average price of 28s. per cran, 

 for those caught during the months of August and September. For the 

 year the catch was 40,023 crans, being a decrease of 5192 crans as compared 

 with the catch of the preceding year. The annual value of the shell fisheries 

 of the district varies from £5500 to £7000, the species chiefly taken being 

 lobsters and cockles. 



Good results were obtained at great-line fishing in Fort-William district 

 during the first five months of the year, and at herring fishing during June, 

 August, and September. Fishing operations were carried on in the Minch 

 from Dunvegan to Skerryvore. Moderate success was also obtained at 

 small-line or haddock fishing from Mallaig. Tliree small motor boats en- 

 gaged in this branch of the industry were by far the most successful. 

 Herring fishing in the lochs of the district, upon which the local fishermen 

 wholly depend, was again a failure, and practically the whole of the white 

 fish and herrings accounted for during the year was landed at Mallaig by 

 steam vessels and large sailing boats from the East Coast. Within recent 

 years the N. B, Railway Company has done much to foster the industry by 

 providing extensive accommodation at Mallaig for despatch by rail and for 

 kippering and curing purposes. At Oban, where there is ample accommoda- 

 tion for landing and despatch by rail, tlie Caledonian Eailway Company has 

 now provided extensive and suitable accommodation for assorting and curing 

 fish. It is therefore expected that steam vessels fishing in the South 

 Minch and off the Irish coast may more frequently than hitherto land 

 their fish at Oban. 



Light takes of sprats of superior quality, amounting in the aggregate to 

 about 1000 crans, were caught in the Inverness and Beauly Firths during the 

 last quarter of the year. For these there was a good demand, chiefly by 

 Swedish and Norwegan buyers, at the high average price of 32s. per cran. 

 About three-fourths of the catch was preserved for exportation with a 

 mixture of sugar, salt, etc., and will in due course be put up in tins as 

 sardines. Small herrings, ranging in length from 7 to 8 inches, and in 

 weight from 7 to 8 to the lb., were unusually abundant in these waters, and 

 for these there was also an exceptional demand at from 10s. to 18s. per cran 

 for the Aberdeen Preserving Works and for the English markets. Over 

 9000 crans were caught. The best results were obtained in the Beauly 

 Firth, where the water was so shallow that the boats frequently grounded 

 with the ebb-tide before the nets could be hauled. One day towards the 

 close of December 750 crans were caught. 



The slip specially constructed at Inverness for cleaning and repairing 

 fishing craft was, as in the preceding year, largely patronised and highly 

 appreciated by the owners of steam and sail vessels e^igaged in the fishing 



