xxxvi 



Thirty -first Annual Report 



part in the conduct of the English and Irish herring fisheries, and to 

 him very largely is due the marked development which has taken 

 place of recent years in the fisheries of those countries. 



The employment of steam and motor power in the propulsion of 

 herring fishing vessels has effected a great deal of improvement in the 

 condition of the fish landed, and has in great measure eliminated 

 " overday's " or stale fish from the market, with the result that fish 

 landed by these vessels — being the first to arrive and in good 

 condition — generally fetch better prices than those landed by sailing 

 vessels. 



Hitherto the return of herrings cured (Appendix D, No. -I.) has 

 shown them in a " sea-stick " state, i.e., before they have " pined" or 

 been allowed to settle down in the barrels, but this year and in 

 future they will be given as " bung-packed," i.e., finally ready for 

 export. In order, however, to preserve the continuity of the returns, 

 the figures showing " sea-stick " barrels will still be given in 

 Appendix D, No. II. 



The total quantity cured during the year was 1,752,145 barrels 

 (Appendix D, No. I., p. 123), or 2521 barrels more than in the preceding 

 year. On the East Coast 903,089 barrels were cured, in Orkney 

 187,343 barrels, in Shetland 488,515 barrels, and on the West 

 Coast 173,198 barrels. Orkney district figures for the last five 

 years are instructive and would appear to indicate that the 

 central position of Stronsay as a landing place bids fair to 

 make it a favourite rendezvous for the large fleet of vessels 

 operating in the waters north of Wick. Going back to the year 1897, 

 the records of the district are instructive as illustrating the sudden 

 fluctuations which obtain in the herring fishery returns for any 

 particular locality over a period of years. 



In " sea-sticks " they are as follow : — 



Year. 



Barrels. 



Year. 



Barrels. 



1897 - 



- 62,738 



1905 - 



- 63,308 



1898 - 



- 47,147 



1906 - 



- 59,249 



1899 - 



- 29,318 



1907 - 



- 63,931 



1900 - 



- 10,482 



1908 - 



- 74,894 



1901 - 



- 59,181 



1909 - 



- 68,003 



1902 - 



- 45,867 



1910 - 



- 140,050 



1903 - 



- 34,453 



1911 - 



- 179,726 



1904 - 



- 55,414 



1912 - 



- 225,550 



The last three years show immense strides over any previous record, 

 and the prospects for the future are bright. The neighbouring 

 district of Shetland exhibits almost equally striking results, as will be 

 seen from the following figures : — 



Year. 



Barrels.* 



Year. 



Barrels.* 



1900 - 



- 416,789 



1906 - 



- 700,062 



1901 - 



- 636,729 



1907 - 



- 657,138 



1902 - 



- 486,745 



1908 - 



- 752,416 



1903 - 



- 489,654 



1909 - 



- 513,701 



1904 - 



- 814,839 



1910 - 



- 658,515 



1905 •• 



- 1,024,044 



1911 - 



- 548,971 







1912 - 



- 555,036 



* "Sea-sticks," 



