of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



16 



of trawlers at work in 1919 was about 50, and their favourite inshore 

 fishing grounds were off St. Abb's Head, May Island, and the Bell Rock, 

 while the usual deep-sea waters were from 140 to 160 miles E.N.E. of the 

 May Island. As a rule the duration of the voyages was short, being on 

 an average about 4 days. The highest individual shot was 410 cwts., 

 valued at £787. Of the year's catch the large proportion of 114,253 cwts., 

 equivalent to 40 per cent, of the year's trawl catch, was dispatched direct 

 from Granton to the Glasgow market. The average price paid for trawl 

 fish per cwt. last year was 36s. 3d., as against 58s. in 1918. 



The two sahent features of this branch of the industry last year were 

 the railway strike in the autumn (which caused much dislocation in the 

 trade and a temporary stoppage of fishing operations) and the strike 

 amongst skippers and deck hands. This unfortunate strike began about 

 the middle of November, and was not settled at the close of the year. 

 The dispute arose through the skippers' and deck hands' making a demand 

 for higher rates of wages and an extra deck hand, which the owners would 

 not fully accede to, with the result that for a period of fully six weeks a 

 fleet of about 60 vessels was laid up. It is estimated that in this district 

 up to 31st December the loss of landings due to this regrettable 

 stoppage would amount to 58,500 cwts. of fish, of the approximate value of 

 £156,000. 



With regard to the future outlook for trawhng in the district, the proba- 

 bility is that this branch of the industry will continue to grow in import- 

 ance, and it is to be hoped that in the future any further labour troubles 

 which may arise will be speedily adjusted, so that the boats may not again 

 be kept ashore for such a lengthy period. No doubt in the future with 

 such a large fleet of vessels fishing from the various ports, prices for fish 

 will not be nearly so high as they were in recent years, but with the growing 

 demand for fish in inland centres, and the anticipated development of 

 motor transport (which did such good service during the railway strike), 

 as well as the opening up of new channels of distribution, the demand should 

 be such that prices will leave a pajdng margin of profit to owners, not- 

 withstandmg the increased prices of all materials, which have risen to fully 

 300 per cent, over pre-war costs. 



No practical steps have so far been taken by the Leith Dock Com- 

 missioners to carry out their pre-war scheme for the enlargement of 

 Newhaven Harbour, and until such a project is actually completed the 

 present arrangement whereby the trawlers have to land their catches at 

 Granton, and then have them conveyed by road transport to Newhaven 

 market for sale must continue despite its obvious disadvantages. It is 

 satisfactory to state, however, that the Harbour Commissioners are quite 

 aware of the desirabihty and necessity of carrjring out their laudable 

 intentions in the near future, when it is to be hoped that trade conditions 

 may be more on an equahty with those of pre-war times. 



The exportation of cured herrings from Leith to the Continent was 

 not so extensively carried on as was at one time anticipated, owing chiefly 

 to the difiiculty in getting herrings admitted into and sold in Germany. 

 The total number of barrels of Scottish herrings exported was 34,185, 

 of which 8990J barrels went to Hamburg. The balance was sent mainly 

 to Antwerp and Rotterdam. Besides the herrings, 39882 cwts. of dried 

 fish, chiefly cod, were exported, and these went mainly to Spain. 



The importation of cured cod, etc., from Faroe and Iceland into Leith 

 was important. During the past year 161,060 cwts. of wet and dried fish, 

 the estimated value of which was £402,650, came from those islands. 

 The bulk of this fish, which was almost all carried by Faroe fishing smacks 

 and Iceland trading steamers, was railed from Leith to such centres as 

 Aberdeen, Hull, and Grimsby for final treatment. 



