of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



199 



White Sea grounds, valued at £316, against 27, valued at £8672 in 1913, 

 and all were landed by German trawlers. 



The steam Hne fishing industry was conducted without cessation 

 throughout the year, and besides the regular fleet employed, 16 trawlers 

 were fitted out in early summer for lining. Although the catch and value 

 exhibit a notable increase, when compared with the landings in 1913, 

 local vessels did not realise such good earnings generally. Stormy weather 

 and shoals of dogfish often prevented successful operations, and voyages 

 proved fruitless at times on that accoimt. Since September, the catch 

 has been considerably augmented by the landings of Grrimsby liners 

 frequenting the port, and in summer K. Y. and P.D. hners landed numerous 

 catches. A record catch for value was made in December, when a Grimsby 

 liner landed a shot which realised the magnificent sum of £1247, against 

 the port's previous record of £700. All the motor and sail great- line fish 

 were landed by stranger crews at Aberdeen. The small-line fishing was 

 not a success, and fewer boats were employed than usual. 



The herring fishing made an early start in May, but owing to the 

 war terminated about the middle of August, with disappointing results. 

 A good average fishing was brought ashore daily by the boats employed, 

 but the fleet operating from the port was too small to meet the demands 

 of the trade. For several years Aberdeen has suffered greatly for want 

 of a sufficient fleet, a state of matters which is said to be largely due to 

 the inadequate landing accommodation for steam drifters. With the 

 collapse of the Shetland fishing in July a large number of Enghsh drifters 

 arrived to fish here, but operations had to be given up when the season's 

 prospects were at their best. The bulk of the catch was purchased by 

 tinners and kipperers at high prices, so that curers could not compete 

 with them in buying for cured gutted purposes. The quahty up to the 

 middle of July was poor, but thereafter improved very much. The 

 average price realised was 24s. 7d. per cran, against 35s. 5d. in 1913. 

 The best fished drifter grossed £1220, and the average was about £500. 

 Sail drifters averaged £160. Large quantities of mackerel were landed 

 in June and July by the herring boats, and often were unsaleable, selling 

 as low as Is. per cran. About 40 per cent, of the year's catch was sent 

 fresh to market, chiefly to the Midland counties of England and Glasgow. 

 More herrings were sent fresh to Hamburg than has been the case for 

 several years, but the venture turned out rather unfortunate for the 

 sender. Two thousand seven hundred and forty barrels of ungutted 

 cured herrings were received by sea from Yarmouth for making into 

 " reds," and about 1100 crans came by rail, mostly for tinning purposes. 



The number of barrels of herrings cured gutted was only about a fifth 

 of last season's quantity, and practically none was branded, so that the 

 curers in this district suffered very little loss, having few barrels in hand 

 when the war commenced. 



A considerable amount of business was transacted in connection with 

 the curing of cod, ling, etc., up to the end of August, after which 

 no suppUes of fish for curing dried could be obtained. This industry 

 employed a very large staff of men, women, and boys in preparing the 

 fish for export. Most of the fish are partly sun-dried, and finished ofl 

 with coke fires, which process seems best adapted for tropical markets. 

 About 70 per cent, of the fish cured are cod, and prices were about £32 

 per ton, for the best quality, and for other kinds of fish, according to 

 standard of cure, from £18 to £26 per ton. Owing to the stoppage of 

 the landings by foreign vessels from Iceland, the quantity cured was 

 slightly under that of 1913. 



All the cured herrings were exported to the Continent in part cargoes 

 only during the year, and were consigned by the curers themselves, no 



