180 



Appendices to Thirty-third Annual Report 



Assistant Inspector of Sea Fisheries. 



In the five fishery districts on the West Coast of Scotland, from Oban 

 to Stornoway, and in the eight on the north-east, from Shetland to Buckie, 

 the results for 1914 vary to a great extent. The conditions which pre- 

 vailed after the outbreak of the war — although not so unfavourable for 

 the West Coast as the East — disorganised the industry as a whole. 

 Fortunately, the summer herring fishing at the principal centres was well 

 advanced by the beginning of August, otherwise the results would have 

 been disastrous. Curers and fishermen generally were in a good position 

 financially, and had they been able to participate as usual in the English 

 herring fishing during the autumn months, the loss sustained would have 

 been less severely felt. 



Practically all the young men belongino; to Lossiemouth who were 

 not in the R.N. Reserve unhesitatingly joined the naval and other forces. 

 Very few of the Buckie district fishermen were in the R. N. Reserve, but 

 on reahsing the need for more men, large numbers joined the Naval Brigade, 

 and are mider training in London. The less important districts all con- 

 tributed fair numbers to the various forces. The districts of Stornoway 

 and Shetland, however, suppHed the largest numbers. It is further 

 gratifying to be able to state that large numbers of fishermen and others 

 belonging to the northern districts found remunerative employment 

 in connection with naval requirements on land and sea. 



Means of Capture. 



No orders have been placed for fishing craft of any kind since the 

 month of August, and to fishermen and others involved in steam drifters 

 the prospects for the future are not very encouraging. For a number of 

 years in succession prices for herring rulea high, consequent on the in- 

 creased consumption of the cured article on the Continent. Experience 

 proves that for a herring fishing season of from 14 to 16 weeks an average 

 catch of at least a 1000 crans per steam vessel, at an average price of one 

 pound per cran, is required to make the season a financial success. 



Within recent years the catching power has been enormously increased, 

 yet it requires more intellisence, energy, and perseverance on the part of 

 fishermen to maintain a good average catch in northern waters. In view 

 of what has taken place on the Continent there is therefore every prospect 

 of the industry having much to contend with for some years to come. 



General Results. 



In the districts of Stornoway and Fort-Wilham marked success was 

 obtained at herring fishing, in the former during the early months of the 

 year, and in the latter during the mor^h of December. In the other three 

 districts on the West Coast herring fishing was a partial failm^e. In the three 

 most important districts on the north-east coast, viz. Shetland, Orkney, 

 and Wick, the value of the catch did not exceed £600,000, being a decrease 

 of £151,000, as compared with the preceding unsuccessful year. Those 

 fishings are to a great extent carried on by fishermen resident on the 

 south shores of the Moray Firth, who engage in the various herring fishings 

 on the Scottish, English, and Irish Coasts, and are from home during 

 the greater part of the year. 



During the early months of the year marked success was obtained 

 at great line fishing on the West Coast by a Hmited number of steam 

 vessels operating from Mallaig. Good success was also frequently obtained 



