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Appendices to Thirty-third Annual Report 



herrings having been sold on the spot. The amount of cured-dried fish 

 exported via England to Spain, South America, and Mediterranean ports 

 was slightly ahead of last year's quantity. 



None of the local steam-drifters ventured to the English herring 

 fishing, and a number of the boats started the great-line fishing instead. 



Shipbuilders had an exceptionally busy year. The number of fishing 

 vessels launched was 54, against 36 in 1913, and their estimated value 

 was £347,400. The prospects for the coming year in the building of 

 trawlers are good, many orders being in hand. Most of the orders which 

 had been placed for steam-drifters have been meantime cancelled, owing 

 to the present uncertain position of the herring fishing. 



Two new barrel factories have been erected during the year, at a 

 cost of about £10,700. One of the factories has made no barrels yet, 

 and is not likely to do so under present conditions. Coopers were fairly 

 well employed up to the end of September, but since then many have 

 been idle and others are working at a reduced wage. It is feared that 

 if the war promises to be of long duration most of the cooperages will 

 be closed, as the stocks of barrels in hand are large. The number of 

 barrels manufactured was 29,647 less than in 1913. 



The new extension of the fishmarket was opened in February, and 

 was intended for the landing of all Iceland catches, but before the season 

 proceeded far, it was found unsuitable for that purpose, and used for 

 ordinary landings of fish. The new dock at Torry was also opened in 

 July, but so far has only been used for storing unemployed steam fishing 

 vessels. A scheme for extending the pier accommodation on the north 

 side of the river Dee, from Point Law upwards to Victoria Bridge, ha^ 

 been commenced, and when completed will be of immense advantage 

 to the herring fleet for landing purposes. The length of the wharf will 

 be 600 feet, and the cost is estimated at £13,000. 



Special technical classes are now held at Robert Gordon's College, 

 Aberdeen, for all fishermen and seamen, who intend to sit for the Board 

 of Trade certificates as second hands, mates, and skippers, instead of 

 at the Aberdeen School of Navigation, which is now closed for classes. 

 Full advantage of the classes has been taken by the young fishermen. 

 The money has been granted for the erection of a Technical School for 

 seamen and fishermen near Torry, but the site is unavailable until the 

 present lease expires. 



The prospects of the fishing industry for the future are very difficult 

 to forecast, as much depends upon the duration of the war. The trawhng 

 industry, however, augers fairly well, as the markets for all kinds of 

 fish remain open, and a fair fleet of vessels is still engaged. It is different 

 with the herring fishing industry, as the markets are practically all closed, 

 and it looks very doubtful in the meantime whether any herring fishing 

 w^ill be carried on during the ensuing summer — a consummation which 

 would be disastrous in many respects to every one connected with it. 

 The y)rospects for the important cod, etc., curing industry look extremely 

 black, and this branch will suffer severely, as it has depended for its 

 supplies of fish so largely upon the landings made by German trawlers. 



James Donaldson, 



Fishery Officer. 



Fishery Office, 

 Aberdeen, 16^^ January 1915. 



