of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



245 



responsible for reduced landings. For the two months January and 

 February the catch shows a reduction of 20,065 cwts. in quantity and 

 £6599 in value, when compared with the same period of 1913. February 

 was again the most productive month. In some measure the higher 

 value would compensate fishermen, as it is observable that, although the 

 landings were roughly only one-third, the value was almost one-half that 

 of the previous year. During the summer months, herring fishing is 

 followed by district boats, in various other sections of the Clyde area, 

 consequently their landings are made in other districts. The past season, 

 however, as already indicated, was extremely disappointing in results 

 generally. During July and August the waters off the Ayrshire coast 

 were teeming with mackerel, fair quantities of which were landed, but 

 the value for these fell to such a low level that crews deliberately re- 

 frained from catching them. Their presence in such quantity was con- 

 sidered a bad augury for successful herring fishing. In June a few Girvan 

 crews went to the Isle of Man to prosecute the herring fishing, but there 

 also disappointment was experienced. 



Simultaneously with the winter herring fishing, 4 steam liners operated 

 from Stranraer, 3 with great-lines, and 1 with cod-nets and lines. The 3 

 working lines had a most successful season, earning over £800 each, 

 perhaps a record for the port, and for a winter voyage of this nature. 

 The crew working cod-nets, however, was not so successful. Cod-net and 

 line fishing from Girvan, Dunure, Maidens, and Ballantrae, show similar 

 results to those of 1913, but this fishing is only favoured when herrings 

 are scarce. 



Small-line fishing chiefly carried on from Dunure and Maidens gave 

 improved results. Particularly toward the close of the year some of the 

 small craft working in Culzean Bay were very successful and made good 

 earnings — whitings being specially abundant for a time. This must have 

 proved a boon to the older fishermen, as being in sheltered waters they were 

 able to fish sometimes when all other methods were suspended. In common 

 with all kinds prices ruled high. 



The flounder-net fishing opened in September, but fish were very scarce, 

 and boats were frequently out for hours for only a stone or so of fish. 

 Subsequently bad weather prevailed, and several crews made for sheltered 

 waters in the upper reaches of the Clyde, where better results were ob- 

 tained. 



During the year an English steam trawler was acquired by an Ayr 

 owner and registered at that port. This vessel operated from Ayr with 

 very moderate success, from April to November, when the vessel v\^as 

 taken over by the Admiralty. Two East Coast steam trawlers worked 

 out of Stranraer during September and October, with fair results. Owing 

 to this, landings of trawl fish show a decided increase over the previous 

 year. 



The yield from the Loch Ryan oyster beds shows a reduction of nearly 

 one-half from last year's output. The largest quantities were taken in 

 January, February, and March respectively — the figure for the first-named 

 month beiiig 122,000, while only 12,900 were returned for June. 



The shell fisheries of the district, apart from oysters, show no gr^at 

 change, a slight reduction in lobsters and crabs being offset by an improve- 

 ment in unclassified kinds. Shrimp fishing from Annan remains about 

 normal in quantity, with an improved value. Mussels did not maintaiii 

 the improved production recorded last year. 



No classes for technical instruction were conducted during the year. 



The European war which broke out in August had no appreciable 

 immediate effect on the fishing industry of this district. So far as can 

 be ascertained the numbers of fishermen who were called up for naval 



