of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



205 



pupils, and all the other classes suffered more or less owing to so many- 

 young men having joined the Army or Navy. 



During the first seven months of the year boat builders were fully 

 employed, and built 12 steam drifters, and 28 sail boats of the smaller 

 size. They had orders on hand which would have kept them employed 

 well into another year, bat when war was declared all the orders that 

 possibly could be were cancelled. 



There is a slight decrease in the number of barrels and half barrels 

 made during the year. Curers will carry forward a large stock of 

 empty barrels owing to the sudden stoppage of the summer herring- 

 fishing, and to so little having been done at the English fishing. Since 

 the month of August the number of coopers employed has been very 

 much reduced. Most of the men working since that time have been 

 restricted to about one half of their usual output. 



The year saw the completion of the construction, at a cost of fully 

 £160,000, of the new Faithhe Harbour. This basin will provide accom- 

 modation for a large number of fishing vessels during the herring-fishing 

 season. The harbour was opened too late to be of much use this year, 

 but it will prove a great advantage to the port in future years. During 

 a storm in October, the storm gates of the new harbour were unfortunately 

 demohshed, but steps are being taken to provide much stronger means 

 of keeping back the heavy seas. 



When war was declared it was expected that the community would 

 be plunged into a state of poverty, but, on the contrary, there has been 

 very little distress. Business generally has been curtailed, and losses 

 have been sustained, especially in herring-curing, but as the two previous 

 fishing seasons in England had been remarkably successful, from a 

 financial point of view, and as most of the curers had got a share of the 

 success, they should be able to tide over a lean year. A large number 

 of people have found employment in the Army and Navy, on patrol 

 and mine-sweeping vessels, and in salving the cargoes of three large 

 steamers which went ashore in the district. About 550 people, mostly 

 boys, girls, and old men, have found employment in Messrs. Maconochie's 

 factory, in the manufacture of tinned army rations, and about 30 have 

 found work in making wooden packing cases for the rations. 



Women in poor circumstances were employed in making and mending 

 socks for the Army and Navy. Altogether the situation has turned out 

 not nearly so bad as was expected. Prices for food stuffs ^nd clothing 

 have advanced, but everyone is facing the situation with calmness and 

 courage, in the hope that the war will be ended in our favour before 

 the advent of another herring-fishing season, when the community and 

 the principal industry of the district will quickly recover their normal 

 condition. 



Geo. Cormack, 



Fishery Officer. 



Fishery Office, 

 Fraserburgh, \ith January 1915. 



Banff District. 



The year just closed opened with bright prospects for the fishing 

 industry. With the gradual increase in well-equipped steam drifters, 

 fishermen, who with these vessels, follow herring fishinsj from one place 

 to another throue^hout the year, looked forward hopefully to a successful 

 and prosperous year. The results of the white fishing were about normal, 



