178 



Appendices to Thirty-third Annual Report 



withstanding the high prices in July, the season was not a remunerative 

 one to either fishermen or curer. 



Orkney and Shetland. 



The results obtained in the Orkney and Shetland Islands exceeded 

 those of the previous year by close upon 126,000 crans, but owing to 

 the poor quality and low prices in the early part of the season there is 

 a decrease of £95,000 in value. In the former district Stronsay is the 

 principal fishing centre, where in view of improved harbour accommoda- 

 tion, and its close proximity to the fishing grounds, a considerable fleet 

 of both steam and sail-boats had congregated. To meet the require- 

 ments of the trade large sums of money have been expended in erecting 

 new curing stations and in extending and improving existing ones. 



West Coast. 



The value of the fisheries of the whole West Coast of Scotland, from 

 Cape Wrath to the Solway, was £383,773, as compared with £521,244 in 

 1913. Stornoway and Mallaig are the principal fishing centres. Early 

 in the year immense shoals of herrings made their appearance in the 

 Minch, with the result that the landings secured by a comparatively small 

 fleet exceeded all previous records. Although only nominal prices com- 

 pared with those paid in December were obtained for the fish, good earn- 

 ings were secured not only by the stranger boats engaged but also by the 

 local craft. Besides the quantity cured, a large proportion of the catch 

 was kippered or sent fresh to the southern markets. Although West 

 Coast winter- cured herrings do not command in the continental markets 

 within 50 per cent, of the value obtained for herrings cured in summer, yet 

 close upon £68,000 were paid over to the fishermen for their season's catch. 

 The value of the winter and summer herring fishings combined amounted 

 to upwards of £122,000, and although the great bulk of this money went 

 into the pockets of the East Coast men, the community as a whole shared 

 in the prosperity. Owing to its close proximity to the fishing lochs on 

 the south side of Skye, Mallaig has within recent years made considerable 

 strides as a fishing centre. During the past year there were landed 

 of herrings from Loch Bracadale alone 50,046 cwts., valued at £25,333, 

 practically the whole of which was earned by East Coast fishermen. 

 The herring fishing at Castlebay did not come up to expectations, not- 

 withstanding the large number of boats employed. The value of the 

 catch shows a decrease of 73'6 per cent, as compared with the season of 

 1913. Fortunately, the herrings for which high prices were paid were 

 shipped to Petrograd before the outbreak of the war. Neither in Loch 

 Carron nor Loch Broom districts was the herring fishing of a remunerative 

 nature. 



Clyde. 



Compared with the previous year the herring fishery in the five districts 

 of the Clyde area show a decrease of 41,276 crans, and £58,372 in value. 

 The best results were obtained by the Campbeltown fishermen. In 

 Eothesay, Inveraray, and Greenock districts the fishing was practically 

 a failure. Fair catches were, however, obtained by several of the boats 

 hailing from these districts, working on the Kintyre and AjTsliire coasts. 

 Various theories are annually put forward by the fishermen of Lochfyne 

 district, in explanation of the absence of herrings from the loch, but the 

 most recent , is that the noise of the propeller of the motor-boats scares 

 the fish away. Only moderate results attended the herring fishing in 



