of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



193 



Navigation classes were conducted at Cellardyke and Pittenweem 

 during the winter months, and a few young fishermen attended similar 

 classes at Dundee. Certificates of competency were obtained as follows : — 

 1 extra skipper, 16 skipper, and 8 second hand. 



Since the outbreak of war the majority of the fishermen have been 

 unable to follow their usual employment. The summer herring fishing 

 was terminated at the period when it was expected to be most successful, 

 and the English fishing, which had yielded so satisfactory results during 

 preceding years, was for various reasons abandoned. It is estimated 

 that through the stoppage of the different fishings owing to the outbreak 

 of war, the loss to the district fishermen and hired hands employed on 

 their boats would amount to at least £90,000, and the earnings of fish- 

 workers were affected by the same cause to the extent of over £7000. 

 During the past few months a numb.er of the fishermen and most of the 

 male fishworkers have been able to find employment, chiefly as labourers. 

 A fair proportion of the younger men have joined either some branch 

 of H.M. Naval Forces or the Army. 



It is expected that the war will have far-reaching effects on the fishing 

 industry in this district. At present the whole industry is practically 

 at a standstill. Another unfortunate effect of the war will be 

 the disorganisation of the continental cured herring tr^de. Business 

 connections, which were built up by long years of successful trading, 

 will be broken, and some time must elapse before business can be resumed 

 on the old footing. It is to be hoped, however, that, with the expansion 

 of the Russian markets, and also with the development of markets for 

 cured herrings in other parts of the world, the fishing industry will, after 

 the conclusion of hostilities, soon attain its former importance and 

 prosperity. 



William Keir, 



Fishery Officer. 



Fishery Office, 

 Anstruther, ^th January 1915. 



Montrose District. 



The outstanding feature of the fisheries of this district during the year 

 1914 was the sudden collapse of the summer herring fishing consequent 

 on the outbreak of the European War. Otherwise the various branches 

 of the industry were prosecuted with generally satisfactory results. Com- 

 pared with the previous year's figures, the returns relative to the quantity 

 and value of white fish landed during 1914 show an increase of 9257 cwts., 

 and £8656. The value of the shell fish taken was almost similar to that 

 of the preceding year. 



The chief points of interest in regard to the means of capture statistics 

 are the gradual decrease in the number of large first-class sailing boats, and 

 the increase in motor propelled craft. In 10 years the large first-class 

 saiHng boats have been reduced from 93 to 41, and to judge from present 

 indications many more of them will in a few years be finallv laid up. The 

 auxiliary motor boat, particularly of the skiff type, is yearly becoming 

 more popular in this district. Nineteen boats were fitted with motors 

 last year, the Gardner and Kelvin engines being practically the sole 

 favourities, and both of these makes of motors are giving entire satisfaction. 

 There are now 68 motor boats, valued at £18,340, belonging to the district, 

 only 6 of which are large first-class boats, the remainder being skiffs 

 and yawls ranging from 40 to 24 feet of keel, 



7 



