of t/ie Fishery Board for Scotland. 



fishing was obtained on a bank locally called the " Shauld Water," 

 which lies 16 miles south-east from Scurdyness. Fully one-fourth of 

 the whole season's catch was secured during the latter part of the week 

 referred to. On the Saturday alone 23 boats landed at Montrose an 

 average catch of close on 40 crans of herrings of excellent quality, 

 several boats having shots of from 80 to 120 crans. Unfortunately, a 

 gale sprang up during the week-end, and when operations were resumed 

 the herrings had evidently spawned and deserted the bank, as only a 

 few crans of spent fish were caught on it. After this nothing of any 

 importance was done, so the season practically closed. Compared 

 with the previous year, much fewer stranger crews frequented the port, 

 a fact which can be entirely attributed to the scarcity of fish off this 

 coast. The quality of the herrings throughout the season was generally 

 very good, and the demand was always in excess of the supply, with 

 the result that fishermen were well paid for their catches. The season's 

 average price was 23s. 3d. per cran, as compared with 19s. lOd. per cran 

 in 1911. The average earnings of the district crews at the home fishing 

 may be computed at £600 for steam drifters, £250 for motors, and 

 £120 for sailers. Two of the motor boats were idle for a time during 

 the best part of the season through breakdowns in the engines, these 

 accidents accounting for their rather meagre earnings. 



The quantity and value of sprats caught in the Tay estuary were 

 only 92 crans, and £23, as against 3140 crans and £1321 for the previous 

 year, which was the most successful for the previous eight years. 



Line fishing in the district waters is now almost solely confined to 

 small lines, and during the winter and spring months this method of 

 fishing was actively and regularly prosecuted by about 150 boats when 

 the weather conditions were favourable. The principal creeks from 

 which this fishing is pursued are Gourdon, Johnshaven, Montrose, and 

 Arbroath. It is anticipated that the introduction of motor power 

 into so many skiffs and yawls will give a much-needed fillip to the 

 industry at ail these creeks, and inaugurate a fresh era of prosperity. 

 If this hope should be fulfilled it will undoubtedly tend to attract back 

 to the fisheries the younger men, the majority of whom have in recent 

 years evinced little interest in them. The quantity of line-caught fish 

 exceeds that of the previous year by 4093 cwts. This increase is mainly 

 attributable to the increased number of motor boats, but also to the 

 fact that fish were rather more plentiful than in the former year. 



The quantity and value of fish landed by trawlers are below those 

 of the preceding year by 15,097 cwts. and £1674. Fewer boats were 

 regularly employed, and fish were not so plentiful as in 1911. Prices, 

 however, were usually higher than in the preceding year, but this 

 benefit was more than counterbalanced by the increased cost of coals, 

 ice, and general stores, which were fully 25 per cent, dearer than in 

 the previous year. Operations are now almost exclusively carried on 

 from Dundee, the Montrose boat having been working from Aberdeen 

 at trawling and lining. Several Granton and Glasgow trawlers, 

 however, frequently, during the summer and autumn, land their mid- 

 week shots at Montrose, whence they are all sent direct to market. 

 The favourite fishing grounds of the district trawlers are those bearing 

 from 20 to 70 miles S.E. and E.N.E. from the Bell Rock. The 

 average catch per arrival was 51.50 cwts., and the average value about 

 £31, as compared with 51 cwts. and £26 in 1911. 



The shell-fish returns show little variation from those of the preceding 

 year. Mussels, lobsters, and crabs are the principal species taken. 



About fifty district boats were engaged at the North of England 

 herring fishing in the autumn, but the season there was more 

 unremunerative than in 1911, when it was almost a complete failure. 



