of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



169 



duce Dutch herrings have hitherto failed as only the Scotch herrings arc 

 in demand. Bloated herrings are imported from Bergen in Norway. In 

 Hungary on the other hand, the cured herrings consumed are practically 

 of exclusively Dutch origin, which can be brought into market cheaper 

 than can the Scotch. 



II. Eeports from Places out of Europe. 



Reports have been received from a large number of extra- European 

 States and Colonies, but their value is almost purely negative. The great 

 distances and the cost of carriage, import duties, the competition of local 

 fish supplies, the difficulty of keeping even well-cured fish in tropical 

 climates, and in some places the absence of any demand for fish, are all 

 given as causes tending to prevent the introduction of Scotch-cured 

 herring. In the United States the existence of import duties and of large 

 local fisheries are the main causes that tend to keep out the Scotch fish. 

 Nevertheless considerable amounts of cured herrings are imported • they 

 are consumed chiefly by Scandinavians, who prefer the fish packed in 

 Holland or Germany. In 1886, 318,000 lbs. of smoked or dried herrings, 

 of the value of £1,125, and 48,247 barrels of pickled or salted herrings, 

 of the value of £86,400, were imported into New York, of which not 5 

 per cent, came from Great Britain. Nearly one-third was received from 

 Canada and Newfoundland, and the remainder from Holland, Germany, 

 Sweden and Norway : the price of Canadian herrings is much less than 

 what Scotch could be sold for. It is freely admitted that the Scotch fish 

 are of superior quality. 



It would appear that considerable quantities of Scotch-cured herrings 

 are repacked in Germany in small kegs and sent to America. Last year 

 the direct trade with Scotland was much increased, a considerable number 

 being exported to America, chiefly in whole, half, quarter, eighth, and 

 sixteenth barrels. About 35,000 of the smaller casks were shipped last 

 year direct from Leith, Greenock and Aberdeen. 



SUMMARY. 



These Consular Reports from a large number of countries show how 

 difficult it will be to open new markets, either by reason of a super- 

 abundant local supply of fish, the hold of Dutch and Norwegian herrings 

 in the markets, or the distance, cost of carriage, and the high import 

 duties levied. It has been shown that France, for instance, bars the way 

 to her markets by prohibitive protective tariffs, and that Russia is doing 

 the same. 



In regard to the chief markets for Scottish herrings, those in Germany 

 and Russia, what has been stated above shows that the competition of 

 other countries, especially of Norway and Holland, is seriously affecting 

 the imports of Scotch fish. Complaints also are made that the same 

 attention is not paid by Scotch curers to the selection and assortment of 

 the herrings as is paid by other countries. It is declared that the Crown 

 brand is not always a guarantee of what the barrels contain, and what they 

 are stated to contain. The statement of the Consul at Konigsberg is very 

 explicit on this point, viz., 1 many barrels marked with the highest or 

 ' Crown brand on being opened are found to contain fish of an inferior 

 1 quality. This inaccurate marking is so frequent that the trade no longer 

 1 attach any value to the Scotch herring brands.' So also the report 

 sent by Consul Powell from Stettin, in which it is stated that 



