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Appendices to Thirty-third Annual Report 



Cromarty District. 



The extraordinary situation created by tlie outbreak of war, and the 

 consequent collapse of the herring fishery on the Scottish coast, had such 

 an adverse effect on the earnings of fishermen that, when compared with 

 recent years, these show a considerable decrease. A number of sources 

 of employment became available, however, which happily provided fisher- 

 men with remunerative employment at home. The chief of these were 

 naval activity at Cromarty and Invergordon, construction work on the 

 Cromarty and Dingwall Light Railway, and, not least important, a success- 

 ful sprat and small herring fishing in the Beauly Firth, in which, however, 

 the Avoch fishermen alone participated. The first two of these factors 

 had a prejudicial effect on the local small-line fishing, but in consequence 

 of the restrictions placed on the movements of fishermen this branch 

 would have suffered in any case. 



In accordance with the custom prevalent in recent times, the fishermen 

 in this district directed their attention chiefly to drift-net fishing for 

 herrings at the principal centres. Fishing in home waters, in ordinary 

 circumstances, is practised by the able-bodied men only for short periods 

 between the herring seasons, and paying catches of small-Une fish have 

 been so difficult to obtain of late that fishermen readily abandon the work 

 for more remunerative employment ashore and afloat. Various oppor- 

 tunities in these directions were presented during the year, as indicated 

 above, of which the majority availed themselves. Practically all the 

 active fishermen, men and boys, belonging to Cromarty and neighbouring 

 creeks were employed by the Admiralty in one capacity or another. 

 Some were engaged as deck hands and firemen on board tugs, water 

 carriers, and other auxiliary craft, and the greater number were turned to 

 coaling and other duties on shore. 



The decrease in the local catch is in proportion to the number of men 

 withdrawn. The average wages earned were fully as high as could have 

 been derived from haddock fishing. The minimum wage for men ashore 

 was 40s. per week. 



The only men in the district who could be said to have suffered material 

 loss by the war are the owners of first-class boats belonging mostly to 

 Avoch. The abrupt termination of the herring fishing in August sent 

 these men home with abnormally low earnings. They, however, were 

 not so unfortunately situated as a number of fishermen under similar 

 circumstances at other parts of the coast, because many found employment 

 at Invergordon and Cromarty, and others turned to sprat and herring 

 fishing in the Beauly Firth. At the commencement this fishing languished, 

 and many laid up their boats and joined their comrades at Admiralty work. 

 In November the fi^shing revived, and these men returned home and 

 shared in a very remunerative season. Several crews, of whom 30 were 

 engaged, grossed up to, and over, £200 for the season from September to 

 December. This satisfactory result compensated fishermen to a large 

 extent for the unprofitable season on the Aberdeenshire coast. 



At the mobilisation of the Naval Reserve 168 district fishermen 

 answered the call. The majority of these were serving at the East Coast 

 herring fishing when called up. In addition to that number, about 160 

 more were employed by the Admiralty in various operations. 



Until the cessation of hostilities the landings in the district are bound 

 to be considerably below the normal, and unless the war ends before the 

 advent of another summer herring fishing season, the .owners of large 

 sailing boats will be in an unfortunate position. But from circumstances 

 arising out of the state of war, the majority of the fishermen should have 



