230 



Appendices to Thirty-third Annual Report 



Altogether tlie value of shell-lisli shows a decrease of £1594 as compared 

 with that of the year 1913. 



About 1200 tons of kelp were shipped to Glasgow in the course of 

 the year. This means a sum of nearly £5000 coming to the district from 

 this source alone. 



There were no classes for the teaching of navigation held anywhere 

 in the district. 



In connection with the fisheries of the district there was one casualty, 

 a young fisherman having lost his life off Canna in the month of June 

 through being knocked overboard by the sail. 



The loss in damage to boats and gear was not heavy, but in propor- 

 tion the greatest sufferers were the lobster men fishing from the N.W. 

 part of the district. 



For the present, at anyrate, any distress among the fishing community 

 must be attributed more to the unsuccessful herring fishing than to the 

 war. During the winter months very few of the fishermen give fishing 

 serious attention, so that the existing conditions are only what would 

 prevail at any ordinary time. Nearly every wijiter considerable numbers 

 of fishermen leave for Glasgow and elsewhere with the object of securing 

 work. This year the number who have left the district is unprecedented. 

 Every one has been able to get work ashore or on board merchant vessels. 

 Therefore it "may be assumed that those fishermen will not take up their 

 ordinary calling until such time as herring fishing can be resumed under 

 normal conditions. Fishermen remaining in the district consist mostly 

 of the elderly class. 



The effect of the war will perhaps be more keenly felt by the women 

 who follow the herring fishing. Of about 400 fishworkers in the habit 

 of going from this district to the English fishing, only 75 received engage- 

 ments this year. At the summer herring fishing over 800 women belong- 

 ing to these islands are employed, and their prospects of securing engage- 

 ments next season seem remote, so that the loss from this source alone 

 will be very considerable. 



James Wood, 



Fishery Officer. 



Fishery Office, 

 Castlebay, Uh January 1915. 



Loch Broom District. 



Fishing operations in this district were less productive during the 

 year that has just closed than they have been, in the case of herrings 

 and white fish, since 1903, and in the case of shell-fish since 1898. With 

 the exception of eels and plaice, all kinds contributed towards the decline. 

 The total catch compared with 1913 shows a decrease of 6908 cwts. in 

 quantity, and £3147 in value, of which herrings accounted for 3613 cwts. 

 and £2853, while shell-fish sliows a falling off in value of £776. The 

 shortage is even greater when compared with the average catch for the 

 previous ten years, the decreases being 53,294 cwts., £10,682 and £1060 

 respectively. The shortage was attributable to various causes. Very 

 few herrings visited the lochs, and the cod and saithe net fishing at 

 Badachro in spring yielded a smaller catch, while fewer stranger boats 

 visited the district for herring fishing from August onwards, owing to the 

 dislocation caused by the outbreak of war. 



The means of capture show a few changes. The boats added to the 

 register were mostly of the third-class order, and while the number and 



