of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



223 



Regarding the enforced close time, it will certainly be most interesting 

 to watch what effect it will have upoTi the future supply of fish. For the 

 first time since the introduction of steam into the herring-fishing fleet, the 

 herring shoals were allowed to spawn undisturbed. 



With the exception of 360 crans kippered at Kirkwall, and 3234 crans 

 exported to Altona in a fresh state by a firm of " Klondykers," all the 

 herrings landed were cured gutted. The total number of barrels cured 

 was 113,119, as compared with 112,450 in 1913. 



Luckily most of the curers shipped away their early cured herrings 

 almost as fast as they were being cured, and when the crisis arose the 

 stock on hand numbered 46,760 barrels, the bulk of which was of a good 

 keepable quaUty. 



Of these, over 12,600 were shipped coastwise to America, 10,977 were 

 exported to Archangel, 18,297 to Norway, and there remained a balance 

 on hand at 31st December of 4858 barrels. 



The following table shows the development of the herring fishery at 

 Stronsay from 1899 to 1914. 



Year. Total Quantity of Herrings landed. Total Value. 





Cwts. 



£ 



1899 



4,648 



807 



1900 



8.976 



2,224 



1901 



23,279 



4,334 



1902 



41,881 



9,125 



1903 



28,839 



7,098 



1904 



71,112 



11,863 



1905 



83,716 



17,449 



1906 



111,871 



35,779 



1907 



124,609 



41,350 



1908 



141,350 



24,151 



1909 



138,930 



52,214 



1910 



279,546 



80,375 



1911 



345,894 



118,733 



1912 



433,937 



180,585 



1913 



273,297 



161,297 



1914 



296,055 



113,037 



The total quantity of fish landed by foreign trawlers, which consisted 

 chiefly of cod from Icelandic waters, amounted to 6885 cwts., valued at 

 £2350, as compared with 6229 cwts. valued at £1671 in 1913. Prices for 

 trawled fresh gutted cod averaged £9, 10s. per ton. Haddocks reahsed 

 £7, and saithe £4, 15s. per ton. 



Owing to an order issued by the Admiralty forbidding foreign vessels 

 from landing in the Orkneys, Faroe smacks were prevented from landing 

 their fish, and local curers and fishworkers suffered in consequence. 



Line fishing by local fishermen was practically suspended during the 

 last five months of the year owing to the movements of our war-ships, and 

 there is a large falling ofl in the quantity of cod landed. 



Of the shell-fish fisheries, lobster fishing is the most important. Lob- 

 sters appeared to be more plentiful than during the past few years, but, 

 during the autumn months, the war had a depressing effect on the markets, 

 and, as the prices obtained were only from 7d. to Is. per lobster, fishermen 

 did not prosecute the fishing with the same heartiness as in former years. 

 The total number of lobsters caught is about the same as in 1913, but their 

 value is £1316 less. 



An interesting feature of the shell-fish fisheries was the opening of the 

 Bay of Firth Oyster Fishery. At one time there was a flourishing oyster 



