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Appendices to Thirty-third Annual Report 



APPENDIX L. 



REPORTS BY THE INSPECTORS OF SEA FISHERIES AND 

 DISTRICT FISHERY OFFICERS. 



I. Inspectors of Sea Fisheries. 



General Inspector of Sea Fisheries. 



The year 1914 will long be remembered as being the most momentous 

 in the annals of tbe Scottish fisheries. In consequence of hostilities 

 which broke out early in August between this country and Germany, 

 the abnormal prosperity which attended the various branches of the 

 home industry in 1913, and which was followed up by the Scottish fisher- 

 men and curers in East Anglia, was not this season maintained. 



The results for the various fisheries for the year show a decrease of 

 388,029 cwts. and £781,853 in value, as compared with 1913. The 

 shortage is entirely due to the restriction of fishing in the waters of both 

 the East and West Coasts owing to the war. In the returns of herrings, 

 which is by far the most important fishery, there is a decrease of 

 66,058 cwts. and £748,708 in value, while in the quantity and value of 

 white fish landed there is also a shortage of 347,249 cwts. and 

 £45,768. Owing to the short deliveries of white fish and the enormous 

 demand which set in for this commodity, the fishermen were largely 

 compensated for the lack of quantity by the high prices obtained. In 

 both the quantity and value of the shell fisheries there is a marked de- 

 crease. From August onwards the demand for both lobsters and oysters 

 fell off considerably. In many of the southern markets the former only 

 realised nominal prices. 



Means of Capture. 



The most notable feature in connection with the means of capture 

 was the large increase in tonnage and value of boats and fishing gear 

 used in the fisheries. In tonnage there is an increase of 5'2 per cent. 

 In value of boats and vessels 5-2 per cent., and in fishing gear '23 per 

 cent, as compared with 1913. Practically the whole of the increases 

 referred to occurred in the East Coast districts. On the other hand, 

 there are decreases in the number of saihng boats, and also in the number 

 of fishermen and boys emplo3^ed. 



In otter trawl vessels there is an increase of 15 in number and £85,000 

 in value. The boom in trawler building which set in early in the year 

 was maintained throughout the whole of 1914. At Aberdeen no fewer 

 than 54 vessels were launched, as against 42 in 1913 ; and at Leith, where 

 no vessel of this description has been built for the past 5 or 6 years, orders 

 for no less than 10 were placed with the local builders. The increase 

 in steam drifters over the previous year was 97, valued at £153,800. 

 Several of these were second-hand boats purchased in England. So 

 great was the demand for this class of vessel that the price in some cases 

 was more than the cost of the vessel when new. But for the unfortunate 

 rupture between the countries involved in hostihties, and the restrictions 



