of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



with results similar to last year's. Crab-fishing returns also show little 

 or no change. 



Basket-making was actively engaged in at the factory at Kilmuir, 

 the output being 6102 baskets, as against 1696 last year. 



Fortunately, there were no lives lost in connection with the fishing 

 industry in this district. 



James Young, 



Fishery Office, Fishery Officer. 



Kyle, ^th January 1913. 



Fort -William District. 



An examination of the past year's results reveals the gratifying fact 

 that the expansion in the total yield of the fisheries of this district — 

 so marked in recent years — contiaues, a record increase having 

 occurred. When contrasted with the figures for 1911, the total shows 

 an improvement of 23,568 cwts. in quantity and £15,658 in value, 

 exclusive of shell-fish. Unfortunately, however, it has again to be 

 noted that this satisfactory result is confined to Mallaig — the expansion 

 at this creek being more than equal to the quantity recorded above, 

 and only slightly short of the total increase in value. Beyond that 

 mentioned above, the one special feature of the year's operations was 

 the somewhat abnormal landings of herrings at Mallaig, from Loch 

 Bracadale and vicinity, during the month of December, and the high 

 prices realised. 



In common with those of other districts, fishermen are becoming alive 

 to the necessity of some auxiliary motive power in the smaller craft, and 

 the past year has seen the motor fleet more than doubled, making eleven 

 now registered from the port. Various engines have been adopted, 

 ranging from 7-9 to 60 b.h.p., and £70 to £500 in value. A feature 

 of this movement is that it is confined to fishermen who have migrated 

 from other districts. Otherwise the means of capture returns show 

 little change. 



During the first quarter of the year a number of steamers prosecuted 

 the winter herring fishing from Mallaig and Oban with very moderate 

 success. The landings were nearly 3000 crans short of those recorded 

 for the same period in 1911. The falling-off was chiefly at Oban, 

 where the failure of the fishing on the Irish coast was largely felt. A 

 higher average value per cran to some extent compensated fishermen for 

 the shortage. The early summer herring fishing was, as usual, started 

 early in May, when a fleet of about 35 steamers operated between 

 Mallaig and Oban. The former was again the favoured landing port, 

 securing over 4000 crans out of a total of 4892 crans for both ports. 

 On one occasion over 100 crans were brought from Mallaig to Oban by 

 fishing-boats. In quantity this fishing proved very unsatisfactory, 

 and shows a decrease of nearly 2000 crans from the moderate results of 

 1911. Here again enhanced prices modified the otherwise poor results. 

 As in the last few years, the best fishing was secured after the middle 

 of June, when the fleet, as usual, had mostly left for other ports. 

 During the last fortnight of that month two steamers which had stayed 

 on realised good earnings. Herrings were more plentiful, quality 

 improved, and prices were high. One vessel landed 72 crans at 53s., 

 realising about £200 for the shot. These two crews were perhaps the 

 only ones that earned remunerative sums for the time spent on the West 

 Coast. During the remainder of the year an irregular fishing was 

 landed at Mallaig, there being no absolutely blank week, except during 



