q/ the Pishery Board for Scotland. 



225 



At Mallaig additional offices for the use of the trade are in course of 

 erect'on, and will be completed shortly. 



The barometer at Mallaig continues in good order. 



Fishery Office, John* Glen, 



Oban, 9th January 1913. Fishery Oficer. 



Campbeltown District. 



When compared with the results of the preceding year, the total 

 quantity and value of fish landed in this district during 1912 — exclusive 

 of shell-fish — show a satisfactory increase. This is due solely to the 

 success which attended the prosecution of the herring fishing — 

 particularly during the autumn months — as there is actually a large 

 decrease in the quantity and value of line fish landed. The increase in 

 the value, owing to the exceptionally high prices generally realised for 

 the herrings, and also in some measure to the scarcity of line fish, is 

 more marked than in the quantity, the average price per cwt. being 

 6s. lid., against 5s. 2d. for 1911. 



With regard to shell-fish fishing, there is little worthy of note in 

 connection with the year's results. At a number of creeks the 

 fishermen confined their operations entirely to the capture of lobsters, 

 and earnings similar to those of 1911 were made. For the year, the 

 total value of all kinds of shell-fish landed in the district amounts to 

 £2702, which is £19 less than that for the preceding year. 



The means of capture returns show a reduction in the number of 

 boats, but the catching power of the fleet has undoubtedly increased 

 owing to the installation of motor engines in a large number of the 

 herring boats. There are now 72 boats with motor power belonging 

 to the district — an increase of 25 on last yea.r's number. The few 

 fishermen who are still pursuing the herring fishing in boats which are 

 not fitted with motors are finding that it is becoming impossible for 

 them to maintain a satisfactory position without the aid of auxiliary 

 motor power. 



Herring fishing — principally by seine nets — engaged the attention of 

 most of the fishermen of Campbeltown and Carradale throughout the 

 whole year. During the .first two months of the year a good deal of 

 stormy weather was experienced, and consequently the fishermen were 

 often compelled to remain ashore, with the result that the total catch 

 for that period was very small. An improvement, however, took place 

 in the month of March, and from that time on to the end of July the 

 boats were more regularly at sea, and, as herrings were found to be 

 plentiful in Kilbrannan Sound, good fishings were made. Very little 

 was done in local waters in August, as the fleet was engaged on the 

 Ayrshire coast during the greater part of that month. On their return 

 to home waters, the fishermen located large shoals of herrings, and 

 throughout the months of September and October the best fishings of 

 the year were got. After October, however, little was done, as the 

 boats were seldom able to be at sea on account of stormy weather, and 

 consequently the total catches for November and December respectively 

 were light. 



Drift-net fishing was carried on by several crews during the year, 

 but the results generally were not encouraging, although one or two 

 crews made fairly good earnings. 



The most noteworthy feature in connection with the herring fishing 

 was the exceptionally good quality of the herrings caught during the 

 latter half of the year. This caused a keen demand on shore for curing 



