of the Fishery Board for Scotland, 



vii 



Average 



Year. 



Quantity. 



Value. 

 £ 



Price per 



Cwts. 



Cwt. 



1910 

 1911 

 1912 

 1913 

 1914 

 1915 

 1916 

 1917 

 1918 

 1919 



5,687,226 

 5,036,484 

 5,301,300 

 4,449,323 

 4,383,265 

 703,096 

 2,086,177 

 1,972,346 

 2,061,741 

 3,735,486 



1,594,308 

 1,505,334 

 1,910,533 

 2,087,754 

 1,339,046 

 441,980 

 1,350,609 

 1,563,824 

 2,537,110 

 2,236,559 



■ 5/7 

 6/ 



7 Ul- 



12/61 

 12/111 

 15/lOi- 

 24/7 

 11/111 



The winter herring fishing, which covers the period from 1st 

 January to 31st March, and is prosecuted chiefly in the Minch, on the 

 North Coast, and in the Firth of Forth, yielded 742,707 cwts., valued 

 at £844,119, or 37,929 cwts. in quantity and £249,610 in value less 

 than in the preceding year, and having regard to the fact that a largely 

 augmented fleet was at work and that operations, owing to the 

 removal of Admiralty restrictions on the North Coast, were conducted 

 over a wider area than had been possible during the four preceding 

 years, these results cannot be regarded as satisfactory. No lack 

 of energy was displayed by the fishermen, who pursued their calling 

 zealously and with perseverance, undeterred by the stormy weather 

 which frequently prevailed. The shoals, however, were unusually 

 sporadic, and while on occasion they were so dense that the nets were 

 sunk by weight of fish, at other times catches were very light, in both 

 cases to the detriment of the fishermen. Apart also from the fact 

 that prices were controlled, the quality of the fish was not so good as 

 in the previous season, spent fish making their appearance at an 

 unusually early date. A few crews had satisfactory earnings, but 

 for the majority the' season was not a remunerative one, what 

 would otherwise have been satisfactory earnings being offset by 

 heavy working expenses and loss of gear, and a number of crews 

 finished the season in debt. 



With the reopening of the grounds on the East Coast to fishing 

 operations the summer and autumn herring fishing resumed its old 

 position of pre-eminence. Preparations were begun by fishermen 

 ,and curers in May, but the eager and optimistic spirit which normally 

 prevails prior to the opening of the summer season was tempered by 

 the general feeling of doubt and uncertainty as to the prospects, and 

 much hesitancy and indecision prevailed. To all concerned the situa- 

 tion was beset with difficulties, and numerous meetings were held 

 to consider- what measures could be adopted to meet it. These 

 discussions soon crystallised into a demand for Government assist- 

 ance, and a Committee was appointed to formulate a guarantee scheme 

 for submission to the Government. This scheme underwent various 

 modifications before it received the sanction of the Cabinet, and as 

 finally approved it provided that the Government should take over 

 stocks of cured herrings unsold at 15th September up to a maximum 

 of 400,000 barrels at prices which it was calculated would enable curers 

 to pay fishermen 40s. per cran and leave them a fair margin of profit. 



