206 



Ajjpendices to Thirty-third Annual Report 



but cod-net fishing, which a few years ago seemed to promise well, does 

 not continue to make progress. There was no local winter herring fishing, 

 but considerable quantities of herrings were landed by boats from the 

 Stornoway fishing grounds. These were utilised for kippering, and at 

 this curers did very well. The summer season opened very favourably, 

 yielding fair supplies for kippering and freshing purposes. In May some 

 consignments of cured herrings were forwarded to German markets, but 

 owing to the rather poor quahty the venture did not turn out a success. 

 Towards the end of June a good fishing set in, quality improved, and 

 curing became general, while kippering, which had been carried on ener- 

 getically and successfully, began to dechne owing to the high prices ruling 

 for fresh herrings. Unfortunately curing for exportation was not a 

 success. For some of the herrings sold full settlement has not yet been 

 made, other consignments remain unsold, and it is difiicult to forecast 

 what may be obtained for them. Curers have their money tied up in 

 these as w^ell as in stocks of barrels and salt unused. At the end of July, 

 when everything seemed prosperous, and the best part of the season was 

 still to run, war broke out, and the fishing, on which the prosperity of the 

 Moray Firth ports almost entirely depends, suddenly collapsed, throwing 

 out of employment fishermen, fish workers, coopers, and all w^ho earn 

 their livelihood in connection with the fishing industry. Practically all 

 the local steam drifters and large sail boats were at once dismantled and 

 laid up, and fishermen, after a short breathing space, set about seeking 

 other employment. Harvest came at an opportune time, providing 

 remunerative occupation for a considerable number, some of whom were 

 retained for ordinary farm work when harvest was over. The local 

 harbour works gave more permanent employment to a good many fisher- 

 men and others, who would otherwise have been almost destitute. A 

 number of fishermen, being Naval Reservists, have been on duty since the 

 outbreak of hostiUties, and many of the younger men are serving their 

 country among the Territorials, Naval Brigade, Mine Sweepers, and 

 Scouts, etc., for which latter purpose quite a number of the local steam 

 drifters have been engaged. Several coopers and boatbuilders have 

 joined the Army or Navy, w^hile others have found occupation in ship- 

 building yards, etc., in the south. Many of the fisherwomen who, in 

 ordinary times, depend on their earnings at the various fishings, have got 

 employment on fairly remunerative terms in knitting for the soldiers 

 and sailors, partly in connection with the " Queen's Work for Women 

 Fund." Taking it all over, the unemployment difficulty is meantime 

 fairly well met, and with all the different agencies at work there seems so 

 far to be little actual destitution. 



Small-line fishing was very similar to that of the preceding year. The 

 chief variations were a greater proportion of small haddocks and a con- 

 siderable increase in the catch of whitings. 



About the same number of boats prosecuted cod-net fishing, but with 

 less success, the total catch being about one-third under that of the 

 previous year. The fish generally were of small size, and appear to be 

 getting scarcer on the grounds in this district. 



The Whitehills men did fairly well, fishing with nets for soles and plaice, 

 a method of fishing which adds considerably to their earnings. 



Shell fishing, confined to crabs, was carried on at Gardenstown, Mac- 

 duff, and Whitehills, and was shghtly better than in 1913. 



There was no English fishing. Only 3 steam drifters operated for a 

 very short time, and they had to give it up on account of the dangerous 

 environment. They grossed only £1300 in all, which, compared with the 

 earnings of last year (£70,000), shows the great loss sustained by the fishing 

 community. 



