viii 



Thirty-eighth Annual Report 



Prior to the announcement of the guarantee fishing was begun, 

 but the fish proved unsuitable for curing, even had curers been wilHng 

 to adventui'e their resources, while ow4ng to the heavy suppUes of 

 white fish which were being landed, the demand for freshing and 

 kippering purposes slackened, with the result that prices soon fell 

 to a figure which made fishing impossible, while quantities were 

 returned to the sea or disposed of for manure. The fishermen, in 

 mass meetings at Peterhead and Fraserburgh, therefore resolved to 

 suspend operations until adequate prices could be obtained, and this 

 resolution was adhered to either wholly or partly at most of the 

 other ports. The announcement of the Government guarantee led to 

 a resumption of fishing, but difficulties still continued as the prices 

 received by the fishermen ruled low. Further stoppages occurred or 

 were threatened, but ultimately the mediation of the Board's Secretary 

 was invoked, and as the result of meetings with representatives of the 

 various interests concerned which he held at Fraserburgh and Peter- 

 head, he was successful in composing their differences, the fishermen 

 agreeing to resume fishing on the understanding that curers would 

 pay not less than 35s. per cran for herrings of good quality cured on 

 the day of capture. 



Catches during the greater part of the season were generally 

 quite satisfactory, and at times, especially in Shetland waters, a very 

 high average was attained. Ciu-ers, with the guarantee in view, had 

 apparently no hesitation in deahng with as large quantities as their 

 staffs could overtake, but at the same time competition as among 

 themselves was not keen, and the prices paid by them fell con- 

 siderably short of those which the guarantee would have justified. 

 In this connection, however, it has to be borne in mind that their 

 capital was steadily being locked up in the stocks of cm'ed herrings 

 which accumulated on their hands as the season advanced, while 

 in many cases staffs were inadequate, and they were repeatedly faced 

 with a shortage of salt and barrels. There was also a tendency on 

 the part of a section of the curers to refrain from paying the price 

 contemplated under the scheme on the off chance of being able to 

 dispose of their herrings privately. 



The fishermen's dissatisfaction with the prices obtained found 

 expression in numerous protest meetings- at the chief ports, and finally 

 when, after a remarkably long spell of favourable weather, a storm 

 interrupted the fishing towards the end of August, the majority of 

 the crews ceased operations for the season. 



The summer and autumn fishings combined yielded a total of 

 2,992,779 cwts., which realised £1,392,44:0, these figures representing 

 an increase of 133" 6 per cent, in quantity, but a dechne of 3'5 per cent, 

 in value, as compared with the preceding year's results. 



The most successful ports were Fraserburgh, Lerwick, Peterhead, 

 and Wick in the order given, and the particulars for these ports 

 are given below, the figures for 1913 being also shown for comparison. 



1919. 1913. 

 Cwts. £ Cwts. £ 



Fraserburgh .. .. 802,459 338,479 649,880 330,207 



Lerwick 500,529 191,028 684.961 326,097 



Peterhead 492,389 211,926 772,309 362,069 



Wick ..• .. 362,663 138,540 380,341 209,267 



