7 



Appendices to Thirty-eighth Annual Report 



£11,200 went to an English port for £19,500. On the other hand, small 

 yachts converted into fishing vessels during the war were saleable only at 

 a very considerable loss, a vessel, for example, which cost £1000 changing 

 ownership at £200. 



Apart from the upkeep of vessels and gear and also the wage bill, 

 which has been more than doubled since 1914, setthng expenses of a fishing 

 voyage as affecting share fishermen have been greatly increased. The 

 cost of coal rose to 61s. 6d. per ton, and about 5f tons per sea day are 

 required by an average long voyage North Sea or Faroe going vessel. To 

 keep down expenses voyages have been prolonged to 10 and 12 days 

 and even longer for North Sea and " West Side " trips during the winter 

 months. Formerly w^hen coal was cheap, a skipper would not have 

 hesitated to run to market mth a comparatively light shot during stormy 

 weather, but now it is found expedient to keep on the grounds until a good 

 catch has been placed " under the hatches." Thus it will be seen that 

 increased landings per voyage cannot always be regarded as indicating 

 that fish are now more plentiful. The real criterion is " actual time 

 fishing." 



In reviewing the great summer herring fishing one cannot but marvel 

 at even the partial success which attended it. The disorganisation caused 

 by the war could not be put right in a day, while the outlets for herring 

 closed by the war remained so for the most part and prevented the re- 

 storation of pre-war conditions. At the beginning of the East Coast 

 herring fishing therefore the difficulties in the way of reconstruction ap- 

 peared so great that the Grovernment was appealed to to adopt a scheme 

 which would guarantee the fishermen a fair price for their fish, and the 

 curer who cured them for exportation a price which would safeguard 

 him from loss. The scheme sanctioned by the G-overnment formed one 

 of the chief features of the herring industry of 1919, and as the herring 

 fishing is of paramount importance to the fishermen, it will be easily 

 reahsed how the Government Guarantee Scheme was appreciated. Yet 

 owing to the low average price per cran the results for the season were not 

 profitable. The curers did not adhere to the recommended minimum 

 price of 35s. per cran, and in some respects the fishermen themselves were 

 to blame for this. They admittedly commenced the fishing too early, 

 and but for the cessation of operations for nearly two weeks in the middle 

 of June matters would have been much worse than they were. It may be 

 claimed, however, that on the whole the results achieved have justified 

 the Government in coming to the aid of the industry. 



As both the fishermen and curers of Scotland extend their operations 

 to England, the EngUsh Guarantee Scheme for Yarmouth and Lowestoft 

 was equally essential to our Scottish fijshermen and curers. It may not, 

 therefore, be out of place to make a few remarks here on the benefits derived 

 from the scheme by the many fishermen, curers, and workers who pro- 

 ceeded to the East Anglian fishing. The fishermen on the whole had a 

 good season, although the loss of netting was exceedingly heavy. The 

 earnings varied considerably, ranging from a few hundred pounds to as 

 many thousands, the average being about £1000. The women workers 

 and coopers had high earnings, and though the season was a strenuous 

 one, owing to the severe weather which prevailed, they all seemed 

 well satisfied with the season's results. 



Several circumstances combined to make the EngHsh scheme a success. 

 The chief factor was the comparatively small quantity landed, and for this 

 the main cause was the unfavourable weather. This kept prices at a very 

 high level, the average per cran to fishermen being about 50s. For curing 

 purposes it stood at 48s. 6d. Other important factors in favour of the 

 scheme were the uniformity of the quahty of the herrings, and the cool 



