of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



xxi 



by over 23 per cent., but that catch was in its turn left far behind 

 by the winter fishing of 1914, the yield of which was 863,958 cwts., or 

 38 per cent, in advance of the preceding year's record. The principal 

 centres of this fishing are Stornoway, the Firth of Forth, and Wick, 

 and all three shared in the increase. Stornoway, with a catch of 

 388,778 cwts., improved upon last year's landings (which were 67 per 

 cent, in advance of the previous record) to the extent of 22,254 cwts., 

 and in the Firth of Forth the catch of 133,632 cwts. was more than 

 three times as much as in 1913. But the most striking advance 

 occurred at Wick, where 161,877 cwts. were landed, as compared with 

 46,957 cwts. in 1913. Prior to 1914, the most successful winter fishing 

 ever prosecuted from Wick yielded not quite 68,000 cwts. 



The value of the catch was £193,060, which gives an average price 

 per cwt. of 4s. 5jd., as compared with £174,740, and 5s. 7d. in 1913. 



Both in the Minch and on the north coast of Sutherlandshire, 

 where the Wick fleet operated, the shoals were exceedingly dense, 

 and indi^ddual shots of from 100 to 200 crans were of frequent 

 occurrence ; but, unfortunately, weight of fish and stormy weather 

 caused a considerable loss of netting, and the fishermen's earnings 

 were in many cases much reduced thereby. 



It will be observed that sail-boats landed only 129,000 cwts., or 

 15 per cent, of the total, and that practically the whole of this quantity 

 is referable to the Firth of Forth, the reason being, of course, that 

 these vessels are unsuited for working in exposed waters in winter. 



Early Herring Fishing. 



The early herring fishing, which covers the second quarter of the 

 year, was, for reasons which have already been referred to, later in 

 starting in 1914, and operations had not become general until after 

 the middle of May ; but so successful did it prove that by the end of 

 June no less than 2,237,431 cwts. had been landed, or 55 per cent, 

 more than in 1913. This large increase was due entirely to the success 

 of the fishing on the East Coast from Aberdeen northwards to Shet- 

 land, as there was a slight decline in the southern section of the East 

 Coast, while the West Coast fishing can only be described as a failure, 

 the total landings being the lowest recorded throughout the whole 

 period during which seasonal statistics have been published, viz, 

 since 1896. 



Of the total catch, 53 per cent, was landed on the East Coast, 

 41 per cent, in Orkney and Shetland, and 6 per cent, on the West 

 Coast, as compared with 43, 42, and 15 per cent, respectively in the 

 previous year. 



The value of the catch was £634,139, as compared with £610,304 

 in 1913, from which it will be seen that although they landed 792,000 

 cwts. more than in the preceding season, fishermen only benefited 

 financially to the extent of £23,835. The average price per cwt. 

 works out at 5s. 8d., as compared with 8s. 5d. in 1913. 



Great Summer Herring Fishing. 



The great summer herring fishing covers, for statistical purposes, 

 the period from 1st July to the close of the ;^ear, although this dis- 



