242 



Appendices to Thirty-third Annual Report 



The boat- builders, who mainly confine their operations to the con- 

 struction of fishing craft, were fairly well employed, but, with one excep- 

 tion, all boats built were for owners residing outside the limits of the 

 district. As all Clyde districts shared in the general decline in the 

 fisheries during the year just closed, the probabihty of many orders being 

 placed in 1915 is very remote. 



No lives were lost in connection with the district fisheries, and the 

 loss of, and damage to, fishing gear was of little importance. 



No classes wore held for the technical instruction of fishermen or 

 others connected with the industry. 



It cannot be said that the outbreak of war affected the fisheries of 

 this district, nor are future prospects likely to be influenced in any way 

 by it. Operations were carried on without interruption, and the usual 

 markets for the catch were always open. 



The barometers in the district are in good order and are regularly 

 attended to. 



Robert Spink, 



Fishery Officer. 



Fishery Office, 

 Tarbert, 7th January 1915. 



Greenock District. 



Compared with the figures for the preceding year, the value of all 

 fish landed in this district during 1914 shows a falling off to the extent 

 of £4762. 



This decrease, and more, was attributable to the poor results of the 

 herring fishing, as the returns of mackerel, white fish, and shell-fish all had 

 an upward tendency. 



In the Means of Capture the number of motor boats remained the same 

 as in the previous year, but there was a drop of 14 in the fleet of sail boats, 

 which brought about a corresponding shrinkage in the extent and value 

 of fishing gear. 



As stated above, the results of the herring fishing in this district were 

 most disappointing, and the same may be said in regard to the whole of the 

 Clyde area. 



On the last day of February a steam drifter arrived at Glasgow from 

 the west coast of Ireland with a shot of 90 crans of herrings, but, as the 

 quality was very inferior, the price realised was only 6s. per cran. 



During the first three weeks of August a shoal of herrings of fairly 

 good quality was located in the vicinity of Portincross, and fair catches 

 were obtained by the fleet operating on those grounds. Apart from that, 

 however, only light, irregular supplies were landed in this district. 



The total catch for the twelve months amounted to 1439 crans valued 

 at £2407, which is the smallest recorded since 1904. 



The average for the ten preceding years (1904-13) was 5440 crans and 

 £6233. The bulk of the catch was sent to Glasgow market, where it 

 was disposed of to local buyers for freshing, curing, and kippering pur- 

 poses. 



The landings of mackerel in the district exceeded those of the preceding 

 year by 565 cwts. in quantity and £192 in value. These were mostly 

 caught by boats engaged in the herring fishing in the neighbourhood of 

 Skipness, and landed at Fairhe, whence they were chiefly railed to Glasgow, 

 although, subsequently, a considerable portion was consigned to English 

 markets. Prices varied according to supply and demand, the average for 



