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Appendices to Thirty-third Annual Report 



a further decrease in the number of districts, boats, and fishermen. The 

 quantity and vahie of the shell fisheries, which are of considerable im- 

 portance to local fishermen, were well maintained. 



Moray Firth. 



Occasional trials were made at herring fishing in the inshore waters 

 of the Moray Firth, principally from the districts of Findhorn and Buckie, 

 but the results obtained were perhaps the poorest on record. 



In the Inverness Firth small-sized herrings were fairly plentiful during 

 the closing months of the year. For these there is now a good demand 

 for tinning at 16s. to 20s. per cran, and occasionally 35s. to 45s. per cran 

 was paid for the London market. There was a welcome revival of the sprat 

 fishing in the Firth, and for these there was also a good demand for London, 

 and for exportation to Sweden and Norway. Over 5000 crans of sprats 

 and 2200 crans of herrings were landed, of a total value of £7516. The 

 earnings of the fishermen engaged ranged from £25 to £75 per man. 



The patent slip and boat-building yard at Inverness continue to 

 be appreciated by fishermen, and are proving serviceable for Admiralty 

 work. 



William Jeffrey, 

 Assistant Inspector of Sea Fisheries. 



Fishery Office, 

 Inverness, 9th January 1915. 



II.— EAST COAST. 

 Eyemouth District. 



While some features of the fishing of 1914 may be of interest, the one 

 event which overshadowed all others was the Declaration of War with 

 Germany on the 4th of Augnst. The summer herring fishing was, notwith- 

 standing the war, continued for about the usual time. Under the cir- 

 cumstances the results for the year may be considered as fairly good. The 

 returns exhibit a decrease of 17,275 cwts. in quantity, and of £17,445 in 

 value, from 1913. Fortunately for curers few herrings were cured for 

 export when war was declared, so that their losses were small. Fishermen 

 earned considerably less than in 1913. Those who prosecuted the Irish 

 herring fishing had only slight success, but good results were obtained 

 by those who were at the English fishing. Small-line fishing exhibited a 

 considerable increase both in quantity and value on the previous year. 



The slight changes in the means of capture in the English section of 

 the district do not call for any special remark, except that the tendency 

 has been downwards for several years past. Important changes have 

 taken place in the Scottish section. The fleet of steam drifters was 

 increased from 10 to 19 ; and motor boats from 44 to 54, of which 48 are 

 large herring boats. There were also large increases in netting and lines. 

 The total value of boats and fishing gear is £120,041, an increase of over 

 38 per cent, on that of 1913. There is no likeHhood of any additions 

 being made this year neither to the steam or motor fleet. 



The winter herring fishing was prosecuted with better results than 

 it has been for the last seven years, the 22 local boats landing 2810 crans. 

 The average price was 23s. lOd. per cran. Other 14 crews had fair success 

 at the Firth of Forth and Stornoway fishings. 



The summer herring fishing began as usual at North Shields in the 



