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Appendices to Thirty-third Annual Report 



fishery in the Bay of Firth, but as a considerable number of fishermen 

 operated without restriction tlie fishery became ruined. During the past 

 two years the present company bought and planted over two millions 

 of the best kinds of oysters and intend planting; millions more. The 

 management of the fishery is in capable hands, and with careful nursing 

 I have no doubt that in a few years' time this fishery will be one of im- 

 portance and will give employment to a good many people. Towards 

 the end of the year a few thousands of the oysters were put on the market 

 and realised good prices. 



With the exception of the drowning of a fisherman belonging to North 

 Ronaldshay, who was knocked overboard by the sail, there were fortunately 

 no fatal accidents during the year, and the loss to boats and fishing gear 

 was small. 



A. J. MUNRO, 



Fishery Officer. 



Fishery Office, 

 Kirkwall, 5th January 1915. 



Shetland District. 



In common with those of most other districts, the fisheries of Shetland 

 suifered severely through the outbreak of war. The herring fishing, 

 which had, till then, been very good, was brought to a premature close, 

 and the line fishing has since been neglected at most of the out-stations, 

 owing to the fact that most of the younger men are now serving in the 

 Koyal Naval Reserve. As compared with 1913, the general results 

 show an increase of 248,525 cwts. of white fish, but a decrease of £28,149 

 in the total value of all fish landed. The explanation of the lower average 

 price for 1914 is to be found in the fact that a large proportion of the 

 season's catch consisted of " early " herrings, and the herring fishing 

 was stopped when prices would have been at their maximum. 



The Means of Capture returns show a decrease in the number of sail 

 boats of all classes. In the case of first-class boats this decrease has 

 been going on steadily for the last half-dozen years. During that time 

 the number of first-class sail boats has been reduced almost 50 per cent., 

 and there is no prospect of this decrease being arrested. There were 

 some changes in the motor fleet, but the number of boats, all skiffs of 

 the second class, remained the same as in 1913. Four steam drifters 

 were added to the local register, but one was withdrawn, leaving a net 

 increase of three to the fleet. 



The winter herring fishing opened in the end of January, and was 

 continued with more or less regularity till about the end of March. The 

 fleet was small, usually numbering from 10 to 15 steam drifters. Little 

 success was attained till the middle of February, when a large shoal of 

 herrings was located off Flugga, and, so long as weather permitted the 

 crews to work, good catches, sometimes ranging from 80 to upwards 

 of 100 crans, were secured. The best catch of the season, 150 crans, 

 was landed at Lerwick on 26th March. The demand, on the whole, 

 was weak, and prices low, ranging mostly from 8s. to 12s. per cran, and 

 averaging only 9s. 4d. per cran up to the end of March, as compared 

 with an average of 17s. 9d. per cran in 1913. Even at these low prices 

 curers were reluctant to buy herrings for curing purposes. Over 4600 

 barrels were cured — a decrease of over 1000 barrels, as compared with 

 the previous season — but curers had great difficulty in finding a market 

 for these herrings. A few hundred barrels were sold in February at 



