of the Fishery Board for Scotland, 



201 



Peterhead District. 



Just as the year 1913 was a memorable one for its unparalleled suc- 

 cess, so the year 1914 will long be remembered for the disastrous effects 

 which the outbreak of war had upon the fishing industry. At the 

 beginning of hostilities it may be said that the chief branch, the herring 

 fishing, was going through a period of extraordinary financial activity and 

 prosperity. The great success of the previous year had induced a number 

 of people to invest a considerable amount of capital in the various branches 

 of the industry, in order still further to extend and develop the trade. 

 Fishermen and drifter owners had rushed in to obtain at all costs new and 

 second-hand vessels, and as the statistics will show increased the means 

 of capture appreciably. 



In the fishcuring trade matters had proceeded on similar Unes to the 

 other branches of the fishing industry. Certain fishermen who had been 

 successful with their steam drifters were under the impression that they 

 would do still better by investing their hard-earned savings in the curing 

 of herrings, and into this branch therefore they embarked with unlimited 

 confidence. The result was that the number engaged in the trade was 

 higher than ever before. At the very moment, however, when the aspira- 

 tions of the fishcurers seemed Ukely to be fulfilled war was declared, and 

 the disorganisation which ensued at a time when so much capital was 

 involved'was correspondingly great. 



There is no abatement in the demand for steam herring drifters, there 

 being an increase of 14 over the previous year. There would, no doubt, 

 have been a further increase had not the demand for new and second-hand 

 vessels been so great that fishermen who were anxious to become owners 

 could not be supplied. There is only one motor boat belonging to the 

 district, the fishermen being still disinclined to go in for this improved and 

 economical auxiliary power. 



The herring fishing season opened well about the middle of May, and 

 enjoyed extraordinary success in its earlier stages. The catch at the 

 date of the commencement of hostilities was almost 170,000 crans, a catch 

 which in the days when the fishing was confined to sailboats would have 

 been considered a very high one, even at the close of the season. If the 

 paralysed state into which the herring fishing industry was plunged at the 

 beginning of August had only ended with the home fishing, matters would 

 not have been so bad, but the English fishing, on which so much depends 

 nowadays, was also interfered with, with disastrous results. Indeed no 

 branch of industry has suffered more adverse effects than herring fishing. 

 No sooner were hostilities declared between the principal nations of 

 Europe than the herring trade became almost completely paralysed. 

 The fishing at this time was at its height, and by the calhng out of the 

 Naval Reserve crews were broken up, which necessitated a number of 

 the fishing boats lying idle. This meant that thousands of fishermen were 

 thrown out of employment. Even the vessels which could muster their 

 full complement of men experienced difficulties almost as great as had to 

 be faced by those who were compelled to he ashore from sheer necessity. 

 This was due to the great personal risk to life and property which crews 

 would have to take if they attempted to fish any distance from the land, 

 for inshore fishing is considered nowadays of trivial account. 



It is not only the fishermen who have had to bear the brunt of the dis- 

 organisation of the herring fishing. The thousands of workers employed 

 in preparing the fish for market suffered proportionately for want of em- 

 ployment ; while coopers, carters, and other workers in the fishing in- 

 dustry were equally affected. The fishcurers, though fewer in number 



