of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



221 



and shortened the supply for curing. At Badachro four firms cured 

 herrings, but as the fishing v/as light little was done until towards the 

 end of the year, when two firms imported 1100 crans of roused herrings 

 from Skye lochs and cured them at Badachro for the Continent, an 

 enterprise which deserved success. The bulk of the catch was cured for 

 America and the Continent, and was shipped via Glasgow and Leith. 



Direct exportations consisted of 603 barrels of herrings to Konisberg 

 which were cured in 1911, and 340 cwts. of dried cod and saithe to 

 Belfast, The latter was a new venture, and met with fair success. 



Line fishing, which is prosecuted for local requirements only, and 

 consequently can never reach a position of any importance, shows the 

 large decrease of 1236 cwts. in quantity and £292 in value. 



The shell-fisheries, of which lobster fishing is the main source of 

 employment, were given considerable attention by a large number of 

 fishermen. More attention than formerly was given to whelk- 

 gathering, which yielded £70 more than in 1911. Lobster fishermen 

 were not so successful, but no other result could be looked for 

 considering that their work was so frequently interrupted by stormy 

 weather during the winter and spring months. 



Another successful season was experienced by those engaged in the 

 spring cod and saithe net fishing from Badachro. The weather was 

 stormy and unsettled throughout the whole period, but the catch 

 exceeded that of last year by 1061 cwts. The gross earnings, of fisher- 

 men ranged from £44 to £82, with an average of £62 per boat. A 

 local boat with auxiliary motor power was chartered for the purpose of 

 running to Kyle with fish for the fresh markets, but little freshing was 

 done, and the bulk of the catch was cured dried. 



The second-class boats belonging to Gairloch and Lochewe were 

 employed at herring fishing at Stornoway and Harris in summer, but 

 had only moderate success. Their gross earnings were from £20 to 

 £120, but with their earnings at the autumn fishings added, the range 

 extended from £30 to £220 per boat. Four first-class boats were 

 employed at Stornoway and the East Coast fishings, and earned from 

 £240 to £400, averaging £290 per boat. 



One of the boats with auxiliary motor power belonging to Lochinver 

 was destroyed by fire at sea early in the year, but fortunately the crew 

 were all rescued. 



There was no loss of life in connection with the fisheries of the 

 district. 



The barometers at Ullapool and Badachro continue in good order. 



James Mair, 



Fishery Office, Fishery Officer. 



Uii APOOL, 8th January 1913. 



Lochcarron and Skye District. 



The returns of the fisheries of Loch Carron and Skye district show a 

 further falling-off in the quantity and value of fish landed to the extent 

 of 30,455 cwts. and £2697 from last year's figures. The decrease is 

 principally due to the smaller quantity of herrings landed. 



There is a reduction of 21 boats in the means of capture returns. No 

 less than 46 were cancelled as being unfit for sea, while 25 boats were 

 added to the registry, one of these being a new motor skiff. Five motor 

 engines were installed in existing boats belonging to the district. 



The winter herring fishing — a continuation of the fishing of 1911 — 

 was carried on at Kyle and Uig with fair success. The principal 



