of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



12 



ranging from £2800 downwards. These boats worked all over the Minch 

 from Cape Wrath to beyond Barra Head, and the principal kinds of fish 

 landed were cod, ling, eels, halibut, skate, and roker. 



At Stornoway the great-line fishing was carried on mostly by local 

 crofter fishermen with small sailboats, but occasional landings were made 

 by steam vessels in early summer. 



In Barra the great-line fishing showed a slight improvement in both 

 catch and value, which was mainly due to the fishermen landing their 

 catches at home instead of running in to Mallaig. 



At the Moray Firth stations, the small-line fishing was vigorously and 

 successfully prosecuted, a good many of the older fishermen doing nothing 

 else throughout the year. Motor boats are growing in favour among 

 Scottish fishermen, who now recognise the value of these boats for pro- 

 secuting the line fishing. As a general rule, the fishermen's earnings 

 were exceptionally good at most of the creeks. 



Li Shetland the small -line fishing was pursued chiefly at Lerwick and 

 Scalloway, where the results were very satisfactory considering the small 

 number of men engaged. Young fishermen who had been in Admiralty 

 service had not been demobilised in time to participate much in this 

 fishing. 



The cod -net fishing is now becoming a very important industry in the 

 Moray Firth in the spring months. More boats were employed than in 

 1918, and in spite of stormy weather there was a greatly increased catch, 

 but as lower prices were realised, earnings were generally less. Indi- 

 vidual crews, however, made from at least £1300 downwards for their 

 short season's work. 



The shell fisheries of the districts under review were carried on princi- 

 pally on the West Coast and in Orkney. The return show an increase 

 in value of £5090, as compared with the previous year's figures. The princi- 

 pal item was lobsters, and this industry would be capable of considerable 

 development if fishermen were provided with motor boats, and improved 

 facilities for dispatching their catches to market. 



During the past year the island of Lewis has been much in the fore- 

 front, especially in connection with the eSorts being made by Lord Lever- 

 hulme, the proprietor of the island, to develop its fisheries and establish 

 new industries. The men of Lewis, whose war services have received the 

 highest praise, are now endeavouring to resume their former occupation of 

 fishing, and though some are finding it rather difiicult to attune themselves 

 to the altered conditions, it is to be hoped that as the new schemes are 

 evolved ample employment will be found for all the islanders. It may be 

 interesting to note that efforts similar to those being tried to-day were made 

 in the early years of the seventeenth century. These schemes failed 

 owing, among other things, to the lack of capital, but the commercial 

 enterprise of to-day is certainly not handicapped by either lack of capital 

 or insufficiency of business capacity. It is therefore expected that better 

 days are in store for the Lewis fishermen. 



The barrel making industry was very slack during the greater part of 

 the year, and many of the coopers were obliged to seek other employment 

 until the herring fishings commenced. The price of home-grown timber 

 has remained very firm, and the trade experienced increasing difficulties 

 in getting supplies of stavewood and heading. The c.i.f. prices of im- 

 ported wood, which is mostly used in the manufacture of herring barrels, 

 have fluctuated greatly owing to the freight difficulties, and prices averaged 

 fully £5 per standard over those quoted in December 1918. The range was 

 from £14 to £16 per 1000 superficial feet compared with 90s. in pre-war 

 times. In consequence the price of empty barrels rose considerably, sales 

 taking place freely at from 10s. to 15s. per whole barrel, and from 8s. 6d, 



