232 



Appendices to Thirty-third Annual Report 



the spring by a fleet of 30 skiffs. Rough and unsettled weather was 

 experienced, which affected the landings, and the total catch compared 

 with last year shows a decrease of 16,400 cod and 3890 saithe. Prices 

 were, however, good, and the total value was only £238 less than in 1913. 

 The average prices realised were, for cod, lOd. each, and for saithe 4Jd. 

 each. Fishermen had a fair season, their earnings ranging from £30 to 

 £86, with an average of about £62 per boat. There was no steamer pro- 

 vided for running to the railway terminus at Kyle, and httle was done at 

 freshing. Curing was briskly carried on by seven firms, but the season was 

 an unprofitable one for most of the firms engaged. 



The decline in fine fishing still continues, the decrease of 1914 being 

 852 cwts. in quantity, and £160 in value. Local fishermen complain of 

 the scarcity of fish, and fewer haddocks and codlings are certainly being 

 landed year by year, but steam hners continue to fish in the lochs and 

 off the coast of this district and land shots up to 60 scores of eels, roker 

 and cod at Mallaig in February and March. 



About 100 boats were occasionally employed at lobster fishing, and 

 their earnings would range up to £80 per boat, though the average was 

 much k)wer, being a httle over £29 per boat. The crew of a lobster boat 

 varies from 1 to 4, but there are generally 3 or 4 men in each boat. Very 

 httle was done at whelk gathering. 



No herrings were exported direct from the district. 



Unfortunately a Lochinchard fisherman was washed overboard and 

 drowned while serving as a hired man on board a steam drifter at the 

 East Coast fishing. 



Very little damage was done to fishing gear. 



The barometer at Ullapool got out of order, and was replaced by a 

 new one from the Meteorological Office, London. The one at Badachro 

 is in good working order. 



The extension and improvement of the pier and slipway at Ullapool 

 has now been completed. 



James Mair, 



Fishery Officer. 



Fishery Office, 

 Ullapool, &h January 1915. 



Loch Carron and Skye District. 



The returns of fish landed in this district during 1914 show a decrease 

 in quantity and value of 1857 cwts. and £440, as compared with the figures 

 for 1913. The failure of the winter herring fishing was the principal cause 

 of this decrease. Mackerel and hake are the only kinds that show an 

 increase. Shell-fish returns declined to the extent of £987. 



The Means of Capture returns show a reduction of 13 boats from last 

 year. The number removed from the register was 34, and the number 

 added 21. As all the boats struck off the register were of the smaller 

 size, and hardly fit for sea, the catching power has not been impaired, 

 boats ai]d gear showing an increase in value of £1371. Nine motor boats 

 ^\'e^e added to the fleet during the year, 8 having Kelvin engines installed, 

 and 1 a Ferro. Only 1 was specially built for motor power, the other 8 

 being old boats in which engines were fitted. Motor power has been 

 mo-pted tor tnc nrsL limu ai ihiee cic-oks on the wcBt eide of Skye, and has 

 proved so successful that a considerable increase in this type of boat may 

 be looked for. 



The quantity and value of fish caught by fines is practically the same as 



