of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



207 



A smaller number than usual of boats went to the Irish fishing, which 

 w^as unsuccessful. A few crews grossed from £250 to £400, but the majority 

 made much less. There were no motor or sail boats at either of these 

 fishings. 



Until the outbreak of war boatbuilders were busy, and had orders 

 sufficient to keep them fully occupied the whole year. The unfulfilled 

 orders were cancelled, which practically put a stop to the work. Before 

 work was stopped they turned out a fair number of vessels — 26 in all 

 (of which 17 were steam drifters). Nineteen were for the district, 6 for 

 other districts, and 1 for England. At present only a few men are at 

 work building small boats and doing repairs, and the prospect is by no 

 means bright. 



Navigation classes for fishermen were carried on in various centres, 

 which, although not largely attended, had fair results. Out of 24 who 

 presented themselves for examination as skippers, 22 obtained certificates, 

 and of 28 who sat as second hands, 21 passed and 9 failed, 4 of them in 

 the eye test. 



The harbour extension at Macduff is making satisfactory progress, 

 with very little interruption by adverse weather. 



There was no loss of life in connection with the fisheries, and the 

 damage to gear was comparatively light. The fishery barometers are in 

 good order, and fairly well attended to. 



Jas. Farquharson, 



Fishery Officer. 



Fishery Office, 

 Macduff, M January 1915. 



Buckie District. 



The most noteworthy events in connection with the district fisheries 

 in 1914 were the very large increase in steam drifters, with a correspond- 

 ing increase in fishing gear, the decrease in first-class sail boats, and the 

 abrupt ending of the herring fishing caused by the outbreak of war at the 

 beginning of August. 



Following on a succession of good herring fishing seasons the closing 

 months of last year and the beginning of the present year brought a great 

 demand for steam drifters, with the result that 22 vessels of that descrip- 

 tion were added to the fleet at the beginning of the summer herring fishing, 

 and it is gratifying to observe that this increase was spread over the different 

 creeks of the district. Ten of these were new and 12 were bought second- 

 hand, principally from England. The total number of steam drifters 

 registered in the district is now 298, with a tonnage of 8584 tons, and a 

 value of £685,400. On the other hand, no fewer than 33 first-class sail 

 boats were struck off tlie register during the year, having been either 

 sold out of the district or broken up. The means of capture returns, 

 which include vessels and all fishing material, show an increase of £12,543 

 upon last year's figures, and an annual increase has been a feature of 

 these returns ever since the introduction of steam drifters to the district. 

 Auxiliary motor power as a means of propulsion is not in favour with the 

 fishermen of this district, and only 13 first-class and 2 small boats are 

 equipped with motor power, the former all belonging to one creek, viz. 

 Findochty. 



The cod-net fishing was prosecuted from the middle of January to the 

 end of April by 3 steam drifters, 55 sail, and one motor boat. At that 

 early season of the year weather conditions were not always favourable for 



