X 



Thirty-eighth Annual Beport 



absorb the catch when once operations were resumed on a large scale. 

 It is gratifjdng, however, to note that although the quantity consumed 

 fresh fell by some 195,000 cwts.,, a circumstance which is not sur- 

 prising when it is remembered that the landings of white fish were 

 doubled, the total quantity which was treated in a form suitable 

 to the home market was practically the same as in 1919, the falling 

 off in the quantity consumed fresh having been offset by a further 

 expansion of the kippering and tinning branches of the industry. 



Cure and Export of Pickled Herrings. 



In view of the difficalties with which they had Jto contend, it is 

 not a matter for surprise that curers should have shown some hesita- 

 tion ill embarking upon curing operations. Apart from the problem 

 of disposing of the cure, they were faced with a scarcity of curing 

 material, and a shortage of all forms of skilled labour. The supply 

 of quahfied gutters and packers, owing to the cessation of curing 

 during the war, was quite unequal to the demand. 0\ving to freight 

 difficulties, stave wood for the manufacture of barrels was both scarce 

 and dear, and the same remark applies to salt. Labour unrest among 

 coopers and others was a further handicap, while owing to the dis- 

 organisation in the railway serWces, the transport of curing stock 

 was a matter of both difficulty and expense. Moreover, although the 

 guarantee scheme guaranteed curers who availed themselves of it 

 against actual loss, there remained the difficulty that unless they 

 could finS a market for their herrings, their capital would be tied up 

 till the close of the season, and their operations ine\atably cramped. 



On more than one occasion delays in the transport of salt and a 

 shortage of freight for barrel-making material threatened to cause a 

 breakdown, and the Board are glad to be able to state that by making 

 prompt representations to the various Departments concerned, they 

 were instrumental in reheving the situation. 



Numerous as were the difficulties, however, curers were by no 

 means disposed to accept the situation with folded hands, and no 

 efforts were spared to fijid new and to develop old markets. Ulti- 

 mately a deputation was successful in concluding, on behalf of the 

 trade as a whole, a contract ^vith the official German Fish Supply 

 Department for 250,000 barrels of herrings at satisfactory prices, 

 which went far to ease the situation. 



Including the stock on hand at the beginning of the year, the 

 total number of barrels available for disposal in 1919 was 627,246, 

 and the efforts which were put forth to find markets for them were 

 so far successful that at the close of the year the unsold stock was 

 less than 34,000 barrels. 



Of the total stock Grermany took 284,731 barrels, the Baltic ports 

 formerly belonging to Russia 137,459 barrels. HoUaud 32.387 barrels, 

 France 34,647 barrels, Belgium 22.802 barrels, and Scandina\4a 

 and Denmark 11,213 barrels, while the export to the United States 

 of America was nearly trebled, this market absorbing 62,552 barrels, 

 as against 23,498 in the preceding year. 



The exports to the principal markets abroad since 1910 have 

 been as follow : — 



