of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



225 



17s. a barrel — a decrease of 8s. to 10s. a barrel as compared with the 

 prices realised in 1913 — and the balance lay on curers' hands till the 

 opening of the summer fishing. 



In April the landings were liglit, and consisted chiefly of sm^plus bait, 

 as the crews were now mostly working great-lines. There was a good 

 demand for these herrings, for bait for steam hners, and the average 

 price for the month was upwards of 20s. per craii. For the summer 

 herring fishing the fleet was later in gathering than in 1913. as it was 

 well known that there was no great demand for early cured herrings. 

 On 16th May the fleet numbered 80, and at the end of May 470 boats, 

 steam and sail, as compared with 310 and 729 respectively in 1913. The 

 Ashing, however, turned out much better than tlie previous season ; 

 as June advanced this improvement was more marked ; and in July 

 the landings almost doubled those of the previous season. On the 

 outbreak of war, however, stranger flshermen at once left for their 

 own homes, and local men commenced to dismantle their boats. 

 Spasmodic trials were subsequently made by one or two local crews, 

 but little was added to the season's catch, although Dutch fishermen 

 were securing great catches oft' tlie Shetlands all through August and 

 September. 



Although considerably below the previous season's figures, prices of 

 fresh herrings were, on the whole, very satisfactory, with a steady upward 

 tendency as the season advanced. With the exception of one or two 

 shots of inferior quality, which had to be disposed of cheaper, the range 

 of prices at the Lerwick auction sales was from 8s. to 4:5s. 6d. per cran. 

 For the whole district the average prices for the summer months were : — 

 May, 14s. 3d. ; June, 22s. lOd. ; and July, 30s. ; and for the whole season 

 slightly over 22s. per cran, as compared with 33s. in 1913. 



There was a slight revival of the fishing at Baltasound, 10 curing 

 stations having been opened for the early fishing season, and the catcii 

 amounted to 12,600 crans, as compared with 6 stations and 5600 crans 

 in 1913. The fishermen worked under engagements at Baltasound, the 

 only station in the district where the old engagement system survives. 

 Seven curers opened stations at Hoswick, and 2 at Levenwick, the total 

 catch at these 2 creeks amounting to about 14,000 crans. Seven stations 

 were opened at Scalloway, but the landings at this port did not total 

 5000 crans for the season. Herring curing was also carried on at Uya- 

 sound, Skerries, Whalsay, Grutness, Walls, and Hillswick — 1 curing 

 station being open at each place. The landings at these stations were 

 generally below those for 1913, owing to the curtailment of the fishing 

 season. 



In the late autumn a shoal of herrings appeared in the narrow waters 

 inside St. Magnus Bay. At first the local crofter fishermen only caught 

 the fish for their own use, but in December the fishing was more vigorously 

 prosecuted in Olnafirth, and nearly 600 crans were landed at Voe, the 

 greater part of which was carted to Lerwick or Scalloway, to be kippered 

 or used as bait. Those herrings were mostly matties or ma tf alls, and 

 much smaller than the herrings usually landed in Shetland. 



The total ' quantity of herrings landed in Shetland during 1914 was 

 273,493 crans, and the average price 21s. 9d. per cran, against 202,657 

 crans, and 32s. 9d. per cran in 1913. 



Although the season had been a very good one up to the end of July, 

 with every prospect of the final results being satisfactory alike to fisher- 

 men, curers, and workers, the unexpected collapse of the fishing changed 

 the aspect of affairs. Eight locally manned steam drifters had gross 

 earnings ranging from £440 to £780, and averaging about £610, as against 

 an average of £1500 for the local fleet in 1913. Sail boats' earnings 

 8 



