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Appendices to Thirty-first Anmial Report 



expected to be in full operation in February next. Through the 

 ozonisation in the process of drying the fish it is claimed that they are 

 made practically germ-free, and can be sent to the tropics without fear of 

 being attacked by fungus. 



The steam-line fishing industry was only moderately successful. 

 Stormy weather and the prevalence of dog-fish on the Atlantic fishing 

 grounds interfered very much with operations. Besides the usual fleet 

 of liners, 22 trawlers were fitted out in May for lining, but the venture 

 was not a success. The chief feature of the year was the increased 

 number of catches landed from Iceland, which ranged from fair to 

 good, but fishing was considerably hindered by icebergs. The season's 

 catch shows a decrease of 57,975 cwts. and £7947, compared with the 

 figures for 1911. Ling decreased by 43,885 cwts., and halibut by 

 4822 cwts. The most successful vessel earned almost £5000, but 

 several vessels finished up in debt. P.D. and K.Y. liners landed a 

 good many shots of fish at this port during the year. All the motor 

 and sail great-line fish was landed by strangers. The small-line fishing 

 is gradually receiving less attention, and is carried on chiefly by old 

 fishermen. The season was a poor one. 



The summer herring fishing started early in May, and terminated at 

 the end of August with a decrease of 15,742 crans as compared with 

 1911. The fleet of boats fishing from the port was exceedingly small 

 throughout the season, and consequently the quantity of herrings 

 landed was often unequal to the demand. A feature of the year was 

 the spotty character of the shoals on the usual S.E. grounds fished by 

 Aberdeen boats, and a fair proportion of the season's catch was landed 

 by boats fishing from Peterhead. Owing to keen competition between 

 curers and tinners, prices ruled high, averaging 24s. lid. per cran, 

 against 23s. 6d per cran in 1911. The quality was good. The most 

 successful drifter grossed £1700, and the average earnings amounted to 

 about £650 for twelve weeks' fishing. Sailing boats averaged about 

 £180. 



There was very little improvement in the shell fisheries at the out- 

 stations, and very few shell fish of any kind were landed by trawlers. 



The business done in sending fish fresh to market continues to 

 develop, not only in home markets, but in Continental markets also. 

 Monks are in great demand on the Continent, and about 550 tons of 

 this species alone were sent there, via Ham bur <r. These fish com- 

 manded high prices, and are said to be sold as " baby " sturgeon. 



The number of barrels of herrings cured gutted was considerably 

 less than in 1911, and branding was, in consequence, very slack. 

 Curers consigned most of their early cured herrings to the Continent 

 themselves and obtained good prices. Branded herrings were in 

 demand and commanded high prices, especially at che close of the 

 season. A large business was done in tinning and kippering all the 

 year round, and regular supplies were received from the West Coast 

 during autumn and winter, and from Norway in spring. In all 1258 

 crans of herrings came direct by steamer from Norway, and sold at 

 from 17s. to 28s. per cran, and about 1200 crans were received via 

 Hull. About 2500 crans came from Yarmouth, chiefly for redding 

 purposes, and owing to the small size of the herrings several firms failed 

 to get their usual supplies for reds. A new departure lately introduced 

 by tinners is that of putting up cutlets of cod and fillets in tins, and 

 21b. cutlets of cured-dried ling in pasteboard boxes and in grease-proof 

 paper parcels for home and foreign consumption. The quantity of roes 

 cured for the sardine fisheries in France was only 2600 barrels, as 

 against 4150 barrels in 1911. The stoppage of the home vessels at 

 the Iceland fishing curtailed the usual supply. Of the herrings 



