of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



209 



forced to return home with reduced crews to wait developments, and 

 after a time, as there were no prospects of the fishing being 

 continued, the bulk of the boats were laid up for an indefinite period. 

 A few boats subsequently tried the English coast for a short period, but the 

 waters there were heavily mined, and the disaster to the " Barley Rig " 

 terminated the season there. The loss of earnings caused by the war is 

 very considerable. In the previous year the drifters' earnings averaged 

 £2000 per vessel, whereas for the present year the average earnings amount 

 to only £700. The earnings of workers in other branches of the industry 

 have been similarly affected, and the prospects for the future are not too 

 favourable 



Statement showing the increase of Steam Drifters in the District during 

 the past 5 years, with their value, also Area of Netting, and length of 

 Bush Rope, Buoy Ropes, and Stoppers. 



Year. 



No. 



Steam Drifters. 



Value ' ^^ishing 

 1 Gear. 



Total. 



Area of 

 Nets. 



Length of 

 Bush and 

 Buoy Ropes, 

 &c. 









£ 



£ 



Sq. Yds. 



Yds. 



1910 . 



236 



590,000 



88,524 



678,524 



21,002,400 



934,560 



1911 . 



247 



617,500 



92,134 



709,634 



21,657,000 



978,120 



1912 . 



257 



642,500 



97,140 



739,640 



23,230,800 



1,017,720 



19J3 . 



276 



662,400 



104,080 



766,480 



24,873,600 



1,092,960 



1914 . 



298 



685,400 



112,392 



797,792 



27,122,400 



1,180,080 



Statement showing the decrease in the First-class Sail Boats in the 

 District during the past 5 years, with their values, also Area of Netting, 

 and length of Bush Ropes, Buoy Ropes, and Stoppers. 



Year. 



First-class Sail Boats. 



Area of 

 Nets. 



Length of 

 Bush and 

 Buoy Ropes, 

 &c. 



No. 



320 

 310 



286 

 272 

 239 



Value. 



Fishing 

 Gear. 



Total. 



1910 . 



1911 . 



1912 . 



1913 . 



1914 . 



£ 



124,925 

 118,145 

 108,885 

 105,300 

 93,590 



£ 



68,512 

 67,105 

 63,011 

 61,934 

 54,932 



£ 



193,437 

 185,250 

 171,896 

 167,234 

 148,522 



Sq. Yds. 

 15,910,200 

 16,358,400 

 16,029,600 

 15,422,400 

 13,296,000 



Yds. 



1,036,870 

 1,004,470 

 931,680 

 881,280 

 774,360 



James Stewart, 



Fishery Officer. 



Fishery Office, 

 Buckie, I2th January 1915. 



Findhorn District. 



As the fishermen of this district are so largely dependent on the success 

 of the herring fishing prosecuted from the principal centres on the Scottish 



