oj the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



177 



be placed ou the Continental markets in good condition. On the West 

 Coast the size and quality of the herrings vary to a greater extent than 

 elsewhere, with the result that prices varied from 8s. to £3 and £4 per 

 cran. The largest and best of these were all cured for exportation, 

 and frequently realised from £5 to £7 per barrel in the Russian markets. 

 The expense and duty on same, however, amount to about £2 per 

 barrel, and are deducted from sale returns. 



In Barra district, where the best quality is invariably obtained, the 

 average price to fishermen was 40s. 6d. per cran, Orkney district being 

 the next highest with 28s. per cran. Contrasted with the preceding 

 year, the increased value of the herrings landed in Stornoway district 

 was £65,000, and for the districts of Wick, Orkney, and Shetland 

 £225,700. 



The outstanding feature in the means of capture is the continued 

 displacement of sail boats by steam vessels for herring fishing, and 

 small-sized auxiliary motor boats for net, line, and lobster fishing. 

 The districts in which the motor craft is most rapidly coming into use 

 are Loch Carron, Fort-William, Wick, and Shetland. Those belonging 

 to Loch Carron are, on the whole, the largest and most suitable for 

 herring fishing. Those belonging to the other districts are principally 

 em_ployed in line and lobster fishing, and the results were such as should 

 lead to a further increase in motor craft. 



As yet there are only two steam drifters belonging to the West Coast 

 districts, and 27 to the three Northern districts of Shetland, Wick, and 

 Helmsdale. In the Moray Firth districts of Banff, Buckie, and Find- 

 horn the increase for the year was 22, which brings the total for the 

 three districts to 462, valued at £1,121,650. The extent of netting 

 alone required for these vessels is 39,891,300 square yards, valued at 

 £127,690. Over 4000 men are required to w^ork these vessels, and 

 during the greater part of the year they engaged in the various herring 

 fishings. Their gross aggregate earnings from herring fishing alone is 

 estimated at £840,000- In addition to the steam fleet, there are still 

 488 large sail boats belonging to the three districts engaged in herring 

 fishing, chiefly during the summer months, and their earnings ranged 

 from £300 to £800 per boat. A considerable number of sail boats 

 also engaged in the English and Irish fishings, and did remarkably well. 



On the West Coast, as on the East, the tendency is to fish from 

 centres, and in better-equipped craft. The principal landing-places 

 are Stornoway, Castlebay, and Mallaig. The two first noted being so 

 far removed from the mainland, the bulk of the herrings and a portion 

 of the white fish are cured — the former for the Continental, American, 

 and home markets, and the latter chiefly for Spain. Not until after 

 the extension of the N.B. Railway to the Minch was Mallaig known a? 

 a fishing station. It has now become an important landing and fishing 

 centre, chiefly for East Coast fishermen. A number of these have made 

 it their permanent place of residence, and others, including West Coast 

 men, will do so when improved housing accommodation is provided. 



During the year 45,000 cwts. of white fish, and a much larger 

 quantity of herrings, were landed at Mallaig. The bulk of the former 

 and a large portion of the latter were despatched to the Southern 

 markets in a fresh condition, and high prices were usually realised for 

 them. Although not so favourably situated, Oban is also receiving a 

 share of the various kinds of fish caught in the South Minch. During 

 the year over 16,000 cwts. of white fish, and a similar quantity of 

 herrings, were landed, the bulk of which was forwarded to the inland 

 markets in a fresh state. The principal kinds of fish caught in these 

 waters are conger eel, skate, and cod, and the average price per cwt. to 

 fishermen was 5s. 4d., 5s. 9d., and 6s. 9d. respectively. Ling averaged 



