of the Fishery Board for Scotland, 



189 



are employed at their usual work, nor is there any prospect of it. A few 

 are idle, but most are at work at other places, while 13 have joined the 

 army. As regards the future prospects, one can only say that they are 

 anything but bright. One curer says that he does not intend to engage 

 any women for the summer fishing, and this points to the general trend 

 of the outlook for 1915. 



David Rosie, 



Fishery Officer. 



Fishery Office, 

 Berwick, 13^^ January 1915. 



Leith District. 



Although there were some unusual circumstances in connection with 

 the fisheries in 1914 the whole result was successful, the catch and earnings 

 being greater than in the preceding year. The principal branches of the 

 industry here, in order of their importance, are, steam trawling, drift-net, 

 line, sweep-net and crab fishings. The aggregate catch and value for 

 the year were 358,594 cwts., and £232,520, showing an increase of 12,222 

 cwts., and £10,682 in comparison with the preceding year's returns. In 

 the steam trawling industry 71 vessels were employed, being an increase of 

 6 on the fleet of the previous year, but 27 were em.ployed by the Admiralty 

 for the last four or five months of the year, so that their withdrawal, and 

 the restrictions latterly put upon the movements of the vessels, seriously 

 affected the year's results, which would, to all appearance, have been other- 

 wise the most successful ever attained. During the first half of the year- 

 the trawlers were very successful, so that, notwithstanding all the subse- 

 quent hindrances, the aggregate catch and its value were only 13,823 cwts., 

 and £810 less than in the preceding year. The trawlers continued work 

 on their regular and long-established system ; about 50 of the vessels 

 worked about 5 to 60 miles seaward of the May Island, and usually made 

 two landings per week, while the remainder made weekly trips to grounds 

 about 30, 50 to 100 miles N.E. and E. off Buchan Ness. The catches 

 obtained were as successful as ever, showing in general no decrease from 

 the long record of prosperity which has favoured their operations. The 

 bi-weekly landings from the nearer areas usually ranged from 40 to 140 

 boxes, and from the distant northern grounds from 100 to 260 boxes. The 

 heaviest single catch of the year was 568 boxes. 



The most noticeable feature of the trawl catches this year was the 

 extraordinary large quantities of very small haddocks — now generally 

 called " seed haddocks " — which were obtained in all areas both near 

 and far. 



In a year such as this, when the regular course of the industry was 

 thrown out of gear, it is needless to make detailed comparisons of the 

 catch with that of preceding years, but there is no reason to doubt that 

 in full scope the trawling industry is as prosperous as ever. In the pre- 

 ceding year's report mention was made of the sharp rise in value of all 

 kinds of fish, but prices were even higher this year, mainly owing, no doubt, 

 to the light supplies which for well known reasons were brought in during 

 the latter half of the year. 



The outbreak of the war and its attendant troubles had a serious effect on 

 the local fishing industry in all its branches during the last five months 

 of the year. Its most serious effect was the collapse of the herring fishing, 

 from which a large proportion of the fishermen derive their principal 

 income. The local herring fleet of close on 70 steam, motor,'* and sail 



