of the Fisher II Board for Scotland. 



199 



Yarnioutli and Lowestoft, the results of the herring fishing on the English 

 coast were rather disappointing. Operations were greatly interrupted by 

 stormy weather, and, owing to the large fleets engaged at these ports, there 

 was also a deal of congestion to contend with both in the harbours and on 

 the fishing grounds. 



For their full period of employment during 1910 the vessels above 

 referred to earned £7530, as against =£7900 for 1909. 



Two sailing boats, fitted with auxiliary motor power, were engaged for 

 about 7 months in herring fishing off the Scottish and English coasts. The 

 results of their operations were, on the whole, satisfactory, and the average 

 per boat was £120 better than in the previous year. 



The sprat fishing in the Tay was a complete failure in the first two 

 months of the year, but during November and December a moderate 

 aniDunt of success was met with. Prices were from 20s. down to 2s. 6d. 

 per cran. The catch was all despatched in a fresh state to the Southern 

 markets. 



The summer herring fishing commenced early in June and ended about 

 the 20th August, the total catch being about double that of the previous 

 year. The most successful results were obtained between the middle of 

 June and the first week in August, after which date the fishing was light 

 and disappointing. Operations were carried on from 16 to 80 miles in a 

 south-easterly direction, but the principal fishing grounds were from 40 to 60 

 miles off. Although the quality of the herrings was, on the whole, superior 

 to that of the preceding year, still the greater proportion of the catch 

 contained neither roe nor milt, and was thus unsuitable for the more 

 valuable selections. Prices ranged from 8s. to 28s. per cran, the average 

 being 15s. 8d , as compared with 19s. 3d. per cran for 1909. 



During spring ten sailing boats prosecuted the great-line fishing at 

 Hartlepool and Scarborough, where their average earnings amounted to £70 

 per boat. 



Small-line fishing was regularly carried on, but there was again a falling 

 off both in the quantity and value of fish landed. During the past ten or 

 twelve years this branch of the fisheries has fallen off to an alarming extent, 

 till, at the present time, it is diflicult for line fishermen to derive a bare 

 means of subsistence for themselves and their families. In 1896 the total 

 landings of line-caught fish amounted to 162,000 cwts., and in 1897 to 

 116,000 cwts., as compared with 27,352 cwts. in 1910. This great decrease 

 is partly attributable to less time and attention being devoted to line fishing, 

 but still it is quite evident that fish are not now nearly so plentiful on the 

 inshore grounds as they were prior to the years above referred to. 



The usual fleet of steam trawlers was employed at Dundee and Montrose. 

 About the same quantity of fish was landed, but there was an increase in 

 value of nearly £6000 on the figures for 1909. The total number of 

 arrivals was 1284, with an average catch per arrival of fully 56 cwts. and an 

 average value of nearly £30, as compared with 1283 arrivals, 56 cwts., and 

 £26 respectively in the preceding year. 



There was a drop of nearly 5000 cwts. in the quantity of mussels landed 

 from the district beds. This decrease is traceable to the decline of line 

 fishing, in which mussels are chiefly used for baiting the lines. 



The results of lobster and crab fishing were rather better than last year, a 

 decrease in crabs being more than counterbalanced by an increase in the 

 value of lobsters landed. 



The returns of unclassified shell-fish were also slightly above those of 

 1909. 



Boatbuilding was very slack throughout the year, and only one steam 

 drifter and a second-class sailing boat were launched from the yards in the 

 district. An order for a new steam drifter for this district has been placed 

 with Aberdeen builders, and this vessel is expected to be ready early in June. 



