212 



Appendices to Twenty -ninth Annual Report 



The fishermen derive most of their earnings from herring fishing at the 

 various large centres of Scotland, England, and Ireland. During the year 

 these were considerably in advance of their earnings for 1909. The whole 

 of the herring fishing fleet operates outside the limits of this district, from 

 Shetland to Cornwall and Ireland, The herrings recorded in this district 

 (other than those at Inverness) are landed by boats returning home for the 

 week-ends, or for a change of nets. From 1st January to 31st March the 

 average earnings of the steam drifters were £250, the highest being £500 

 and the lowest £200. From 1st April to 30th June the average was £270 

 the highest being £600 and the lowest £200. From 1st July to 15th 

 September the average w^as £400, the highest being £900 and the lowest 

 £350. At the English and Irish fishings the average was £520, the highest 

 being £1020 and the lowest £330. 



The herring and sprat fishing at Inverness was a record one so far as 

 quantity was concerned, but prices were very moderate, sometimes falling as 

 low as 3s. per cran. Since the commencement of the fishing in October the 

 fleet (which consisted of 35 boats of from 18 to 30 feet of keel, with crews of 

 five men, hailing from Avoch, Campbelltown, and Nairn) was almost daily 

 at sea with gratifying success. 



Cod-net fishing is practically the principal fishing in the district. During 

 the months of Feburary, 'March, and April, 55 crews engaged in it with 

 marked success. The total quantity and value of the fish landed by this 

 method of capture were 48,725 cwts. and £16,774. 



Haddock fishing is carried on at all the creeks more or less during the 

 year. The returns for 1910 show a very slight increase over those of the 

 previous year. With the exception of a few cwts. of haddocks and 

 whitings which were smoked by the hawker women^ the w^hole catch w^as 

 hawked in the town and surrounding country. 



In the catch of flounders and plaice there was an increase to the extent of 

 700 cwts. in quantity and £500 in value. As in previous years, they were 

 all consumed locally. 



At Findhorn there are mussel-beds, but the supply is inadequate for the 

 requirements of the district. 



Barrel-making was carried on at Lossiemouth, Hopeman, Burghead, and 

 Inverness. The coopers ^vere steadily employed throughout the year at the 

 rate of lOd. per barrel. The ^vood used in the construction of the barrels 

 was Scottish and Swedish fir. 



. Boat-building was more active than in 1909. At Lossiemouth five steam 

 drifters and two small sail boats were built, all for the district except one of 

 the sail boats, which was built to the order of a fisherman in Ullapool. At 

 Inverness four steam drifters were built, two for Xairn and two for other 

 districts. Both at Lossiemouth and Inverness there are two drifters on the 

 stocks, all well advanced towards completion. 



The loss of one life has to be recorded, that of a young fisherman who fell 

 overboard while on a passage from Wick to Lossiemouth. Two steam 

 drifters were lost during the year, one being run down and sunk off the 

 English coast, the other wrecked at the back of the breakwater at Lossie- 

 mouth. The loss of nets and gear was considerable, especially on the 

 English coast. 



The fishery barometers in this district, of which there are tw^o, are well 

 housed and tended and regularly set by the custodians. They are highly 

 appreciated by the fishermen of Burghead and Nairn, where the barometers 

 are. 



Robert Mackie, 



Fishery Officer. 



FisHBRY Office, 

 LossTRMouTH, \2th January 1911. 



