204 Appendices to Thirty-third Annual Report 



demand for good keepable herrings from America, and a larger quantity 

 than usual was disposed of to that quarter. At the end of the year 12,690 

 barrels of herrings remained on hand. It is generally surmised that a 

 considerable quantity of the stock now on hand being June herrings, and 

 not of a keepable quaUty, will not be of much value, should the war last 

 a few months longer. 



Only one steam drifter ventured to the English herring fishing, and 

 grossed less than £100, which would do little more than cover expenses. 

 Several other steam drifters were fitted out, but the crews apparently had 

 difficulty in getting them insured, and the vessels were again dismantled. 

 Five crews of fishermen went south to work English steam drifters, but 

 they had only been at sea a few times when the attempted raid by a 

 German fleet, and the sowing of floating mines off Yarmouth, practically 

 put an end to that fishing. Six fishcurers with reduced staffs of workers 

 went to Yarmouth and Lowestoft, and cured a few thousand barrels of 

 herrings, most of which are still on hand. It is not yet possible to estimate 

 the loss which curers will sustain, as it is not known what the stocks on 

 hand may yet realise, but it may generally be stated that curers, fisher- 

 men, and fishworkers have had a very unremunerative year,, so far as the 

 catch and cure of herrings are concerned. 



Compared with the former year there is an increase of 14 steam drifters 

 and 11 motor boats, with a corresponding increase in the value of vessels 

 and fishing gear for both these classes. The number of sail boats shows 

 a decrease of 48, and about £13,000 in value, which makes full allowance 

 for those struck off the Register, and depreciation for those still on hand. 

 The gross total value of vessels and fishing gear is fully £20,000 more 

 than in the previous year, and would have been greater had the year run 

 its normal course, but fishermen are not inclined to invest more capital 

 in vessels or fishing gear until the war ends. 



During the first four months of the year the inshore white fishing was 

 carried on by from 150 to 200 boats, with very moderate success. With 

 the collapse of the herring fishing and very little prospect of an English 

 fishing, close on 300 yawls were employed at line fishing in October and 

 November. Fish were more plentiful than usual on the inshore grounds, 

 high prices were obtained, and the fishermen made good earnings during 

 this period. There is an increase of fully 5000 cwts. in the principal 

 kinds of white fish landed, and fully £5000 of an increase in value, when 

 compared with the preceding year. 



Six of the larger sized drift net boats and five of the second-class line- 

 boats got motors introduced. In the latter class of boats the motor has 

 proved a great boon to fishermen, especially in the shooting and hauling 

 of fines. They have also on a good many occasions with the aid of the 

 motor been^ble to prosecute their calUng when the sail boats were unable 

 to get to sea. The general opinion amongst hne-fishermen who have 

 got motors is that if they had known they would be such a benefit they 

 would have adopted them long ago. So far as drift-net fishermen are 

 concerned, they still show a preference for steam, when they can surmount 

 the initial expense. 



The Company who deal in bye-products purchased the whole of the 

 fish offal produced in the district, and there has been no change in their 

 system of manufacturing it. 



Local School Boards continue to give every encouragement to fisher- 

 men who desire technical instruction, especially in their winter evening 

 schools. During the first ten weeks of the year there were classes for 

 navigation, marine-engineering, marine-motors, cookery, coopering, and 

 fishcuring, and marine biology. When the classes were resumed in 

 October, the latter subject had to be abandoned owing to the lack of 



