212 



Appendices to Thirty-first Annual Bepori 



Holm, Burray, and Sanday. Several East Coast curers, who were 

 hopeful of attracting a fleet of boats to operate from Kirkwall, erected 

 new stations at Carness at a cost of about £600 per station, and made 

 pretty extensive preparations in expectation of a successful fishing. 

 Owing to the exposed nature of these stations, however — especially with 

 strong westerly and north-westerly winds — fishermen sometimes refused 

 to land their fish at the Carness stations, preferring to accept a lower 

 price for their herrings from the curers who had stations in the town, 

 rather than run the risk of having their boats damaged at the new 

 stations. This circumstance, along with the fact that Kirkwall is a 

 greater distance from the fishing grounds than Stronsay, were the chief 

 causes which prevented many fishermen from visiting the place ; the 

 small fleet which did frequent the place gradually dwindled away, and 

 the season closed early in August with disappointing results to the 

 curers. 



On the other hand, the fishing from Stronsay was carried on with 

 vigour, and and was attended with considerable success. Notwith- 

 standing the proposed close time, the fishing commenced about the 

 middle of May — a week earlier than in 1911 — and was continued till 

 the end of August. The fleet engaged was composed chiefly of Moray 

 Firth steam drifters, and varied in number throughout the season from 

 50 to 300. Of the total catch, 78 per cent, was landed by steamers, 

 20 per cent, by sail boats, and 2 per cent, by motor boats. 



The principal fishing grounds were from 5 to 10 miles off Auskerry 

 and Copinshay, and 30 to 60 miles south-east and east -south-east from 

 Stronsay ; the highest takes and best quality came from the more 

 easterly and more distant grounds. During the first few weeks the 

 herrings landed were of very poor quality, but of a firmer nature than 

 the early herrings landed during the previous year. Owing to the 

 cool weather then prevailing, the moderate catch being landed at the 

 different big centres, and to the Continental markets being in a healthy 

 state, fishermen found a good market for their early herrings ; but there 

 were a number of curers who refrained from curing them. 



Prices for May fish ranged from 5s. to 19s., the average price being 

 12s. 6d per cran. For herrings landed in May, 1911, the average 

 price was only 6s. 8d. per cran. 



As the season advanced and the quality improved, the demand 

 became very keen, and prices were maintained at a high level until the 

 end of the season. By the end of June they had risen to over £2 per 

 cran, while towards the end of the season prices for spent herrings 

 seldom dropped below 30s. per cran. The average price per cran for 

 the whole season was 28s lOd., against 23s. lOd. in the previous year. 

 In former years all the herrings landed at Stronsay were cured gutted, 

 but for the first time in the history of the place a commencement was 

 made at " klondyking," or exporting fresh herrings in boxes with ice 

 and salt. Only one firm engaged in this branch of the industry, and 

 two steamers were chartered to run weekly trips from Stronsay to 

 Altona. The first trip was run about the middle of June, and 

 regularly thereafter till the third week of August. The total quantity 

 dealt with in this way was 17,712 boxes, or 4428 crans. Small as this 

 quantity was, there is no doubt it exercised an important influence in 

 further strengthening an already keen competition for the " green " 

 fish, with the result that fishermen had a veiy profitable season. As 

 the stranger fishermen were continually moving about and landing their 

 takes at the different ports, it is difl^cult to estimate their earnings. 

 The local fishermen operating with sail boats did very well. Their 

 earnings ranged from about £300 to £600 per crew, while the average 

 would be about £480. 



