of the Fishery Board for ^Scotland. 



205 



Peterhead District. 



In reviewing the various branches of the fishing industry, the year 1910 

 may be said to be one of many ups and downs. At a certain period of the 

 year fortune seemed to smile upon all concerned, and prospects were on the 

 whole bright. The vicissitudes of the herring fishing industry, however, 

 have had a serious effect upon those engaged in the curing, and many of them 

 will have done nothing more than hold their own, while not a few who re- 

 sorted to " blank " selling will suffer considerable financial loss. Yet, from 

 the fishermen's point of view, the year has been a prosperous one, although 

 even among them the results have been pretty unequally divided. The total 

 quantity of fish landed in the district exceeds even that of the previous year, 

 which was the second highest year on record, but owing to the low prices for 

 herrings in the early part of the herring fishing season, as compared with 

 1909, the total value is reduced by ^12,067. Taking the home and English 

 seasons together, the general body of workers in connection with the industry 

 are expected to make ends meet more or less satisfactorily. 



While the sailing boats, especially those of the first class, show a decrease 

 year by year, the value of the means of capture is going up by leaps and 

 bounds. This is due to the increase in the more expensive vessels, those 

 propelled by steam. Of these there were four, three drifters and one trawler, 

 added to the fleet during the year, but with the loss of one by collision at 

 sea, the number belonging to the district shows an increase of only three on 

 the previous year. 



The fishermen of this district do not seem to have any inclination to invest 

 in motor auxiliary power, although there are still a few first-class boats well 

 adapted for motor engines. The failure of the one tried seven years ago 

 seems to have had a prejudicial effect. 



With regard to the earnings of steam drifters, the system of dividing the 

 profits has been of late receiving the careful attention of the owners. The 

 arrangement generally in vogue was that after deducting from the gross 

 earnings the cost of the maintenance of the vessel, and the engineers' and 

 firemen's wages, the remainder was divided into three shares, one of which 

 was paid to the fishermen, another was credited to the latter in respect of the 

 use of their nets, and the third became the property of the owners. Thus 

 the owners of, say, .£3000 of capital in the vesssl only receive an equal share 

 with the nets, which only cost, on an average, .£300. This system is now 

 considered an anomalous one, and owners have resolved in most cases that 

 fishermen only supply nets in proportion to the capital invested by them in 

 the vessel. 



The catch for the great summer herring fishing season is the second highest 

 on record, and at the commencement of the fishing it looked as if the 

 enormous catch of 1907 would be exceeded. The season, which was pro- 

 longed beyond its usual time, commenced practically with the 1st of May, 

 and by the 12th of that month curing for the Continent had become general. 

 This was from a month to six weeks earlier than is generally the case. As 

 soon as curing had commenced the Jewish and other foreign buyers arrived 

 on the spot and encouraged the curers to cure for the Russian markets. This 

 increased the competition and the price for green fish, and by the end of 

 May the fleet which congregated at the port was almost at its highest. No 

 less than 30,000 crans were landed in May, while June saw even greater 

 prosperity, and by the end of that month almost half the season's catch was 

 landed. There was a great falling off, however, in the catches during July 

 and August, and although these months are generally the principal months 

 of the season, the catches were so small that the prices to fishermen rapidly 

 increased, the record price for the season being 44s. per cran. The average 

 price, however, was only 19s. Id. per cran, compared with 22s. 6d. in 1909. 



