of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



215 



this district were employed at that fishing in 1914), affected them very 

 severely in the way of reduced earnings. In this connection it may be 

 mentioned that the aggregate earnings of the fishing vessels belonging to 

 this district which were employed at herring fishing amounted in 1914 to 

 £6158, as against £18,060 in the year 1913. The estimated combined 

 aggregate earnings of the fishermen who went as hired hands, and of the 

 women who went as gutters and packers to the herring fishings, amounted 

 in 1914 to £8108, as against £20,052 in the year 1913. Owing to the short 

 summer herring fishing and to restrictions on their work when employed 

 in the last quarter of the year at barrel-making, the earnings of coopers 

 were also in 1914 considerably less than in the previous year. The one 

 firm of fish-curers still belonging to this district, in common with the 

 fish-curers of other districts, lost considerably on herrings sold since 

 hostilities began, and cannot but feel the greatest anxiety with regard to- 

 consisjnments sent by them to Germany before war was declared. 



When war was declared 96 of the district fishermen, who were naval 

 reservists, were called out for service, and 4 have since joined the navy, 

 making in all 100 men, of whom 54 belong to Embo, and the remainder to 

 Helmsdale, Brora, and Golspie. 



Although in one way or another this district has suffered very con- 

 siderably in consequence of the war, the fishing communities in it have still 

 great reason for thankfulness. There has been practically no enforced 

 unemployment among the men connected with the industry, and no pro- 

 nounced cases of distress. 



At the end of November, 33 of the district fishermen found remunerative 

 employment aboard locally-owned steam drifters which had been chartered 

 by the Admiralty. Upwards of 20 fishermen have been employed 

 since the commencement of the war as labourers at the Admiralty Works, 

 Cromarty. The remainder of the fishermen were practically all employed 

 at hne fishing, and, so far they have been able to fish from 1 to 5 miles off 

 the coast without any interruption. The coopers also have been, since 

 the middle of October, all employed at barrel-making, but earning, as 

 ak'eady indicated, only about two-thirds of their usual wages. 



With regard to the future the prospects for the district are rather 

 gloomy. It is doubtful if there will be a summer herring fishing in 1915. 

 Should there be no summer herring fishing, the fishermen would then find 

 it very difficult to earn a living wage at hne fishing, as at that season of the 

 year white fish are usually very scarce on the fishing grounds, and of 

 little commercial value. It is also to be expected that even if the condi- 

 tions admit of carrying on the summer herring fishing, the countries to 

 which cured herrings are usually sent will be so impoverished in conse- 

 quence of the war that fresh herrings would have to be sold so cheap that 

 httle would be left for owners of boats or the fishermen. 



For the first 3 or 4 months of 1915, however, should they be allowed to 

 continue the line fishing for that time, the fishermen should be able to earn 

 good wages. Haddocks and codlings are usually fairly plentiful during 

 those months, and as so many trawlers and other fishing vessels have 

 been employed by the Admiralty, and fishing facilities so much restricted, 

 it is expected that fresh fish will command high prices in the markets. 

 It is also to be expected that fish will soon be much more plentiful on the 

 fishing grounds of the district, in view of the fact that, since the com- 

 mencement of the war, there has been practically no trawling in the 

 Moray Firth. 



Alexander Wood, 



Fishery Officer, 



Fishery Office, 

 Helmsdale, 1th January 1915, 



