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Appendices to Twenty-ninth Annual Report 



Lochcan'on and Skye District. 



The results of the district fisheries during the year under review were very 

 satisfactory, and show an improvement over the figures for 1910 to the extent 

 of 83,700 cwts. in the quantity and £23,216 in the value of fish landed. 

 Herrings and mackerel are chiefly accountable for this result. The other 

 branches of the industry, with the exception of shell -fish, were prosecuted 

 with average success, and the returns show little variation from those of the 

 preceding year. The returns of shell-fish exhibit a decrease in value of £865 

 when compared with the figures for 1909, and are slightly below the average 

 of the past ten years. 



Owing to the failure of the herring fishing in the Skye lochs during the 

 past eight years, the means of capture returns have been steadily shrinking. 

 A number of the fishermen desirous of bettering their position emigrated to 

 Canada during the year, while others were employed on board steamers and 

 vessels sailing from Glasgow. The number of boats has fallen from 708 in 

 1901 to 473 in 1910. The area of netting also shows a corresponding 

 decrease. It is satisfactory to note, however, that, owing to the improve- 

 ment in the herring fishing towards the end of 1910, fishermen are again 

 bringing boats into the district. One of those brought in was a new one 

 built at Ardrishaig and fitted with a "Kelvin" motor engine. There are 

 now four motor boats in the district, and it is expected that some of the 

 other larger-sized skiffs will have engines fitted in shortly. 



The winter herring fishing, which was really a continuation of the autumn 

 herring fishing of 1909, was prosecuted up to the end of January by a fleet 

 of about 120 boats. The principal fishing grounds were in Loch Ainort and 

 between Eaasay and the mainland. During the first fortnight good results 

 were obtained by steam drifters, but as the fish did not remain long on the 

 ground, these vessels left in order to participate in the Stornoway herring 

 fishing. Owing to the stormy condition of the weather, sail-boats were 

 seldom able to get to sea. The total for the winter herring fishing was 6180 

 crans, valued at £6837. The herrings were principally landed at 

 Kyle-of-Lochalsh, where they were sold by auction at prices ranging from 

 17s. to 50s. per cran. 



With the exception of a few crews belonging to Waternish, Portree, and 

 Kyleakin, the district fishermen give cod and ling fishing little attention. 

 At Waternish it was prosecuted during February and March with a fair 

 amount of success when the weather permitted the fishermen to get to sea. 



Small-line fishing was very much neglected, and the fishermen who 

 possessed gear suitable for its prosecution employed it chiefly in securing 

 bait for their lobster creels, or in supplying fish for consumption in the 

 localities where taken. 



The summer herring fishing was commenced early in July by a fleet of 

 about 60 boats. The fishermen persevered for about a month on the usual 

 fishing grounds, but, as their efforts were attended with little or no success, 

 and as there were no indications of herrings being on the grounds, they 

 ceased operations, and a number of crews beached their boats for a season 

 The results of the fishing were about the poorest on record. 



On the other hand, the mackerel fishing, which commenced about the end 

 of August and continued to the end of October, yielded satisfactory results, 

 The fleet which participated in the mackerel fishing numbered 35. Of these, 

 10 fished from Portree and 25 from Kyle-of-Lochalsh. All belonged to the 

 district, and were fitted out with mackerel nets. The most prolific fishing 

 grounds were in the waters between Raasay and the mainland, in Scalpa 

 Sound, and in Portree Bay, and fish were fairly plentiful in these waters 

 throughout the season. Except in the case of one or two crews who con- 

 signed their fish to the Southern markets, the fish were sold by auction and 



