of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



28 



Fishing was again resumed on 1st July, and was continued without 

 further interruption till the end of the season. The weather throughout 

 the season was favourable for fishing, and operations were attended with 

 remarkable success. The total catch amounted to 229,021 crans, which 

 gave an average of over 600 crans per boat. The quality of the herrings 

 was generally good. The average price for the season was 29s. 6d. per 

 cran, compared with 76s. lOd. for the corresponding season of the preceding 

 year. The catch was disposed of as follows : — cured gutted, 60 per cent., 

 cured ungutted, 7 per cent., kippered and tinned, 16 per cent., and freshed, 

 17 per cent. The quantities sent to the home markets would have been 

 much greater if adequate transport facilities had been available, a shortage 

 of wagons being experienced on several occasions. Of the herrings cured 

 the greater proportion was eventually exported to Finland, Holland, 

 France, and Germany. The home market for cured herrings showed 

 very little expansion. 



Although the Government guarantee to purchase the unsold stocks of 

 pickled herrings did not altogether have the desired effect of assuring to 

 fishermen remunerative prices for their catches, it at least afforded a certain 

 amount of security to the curers and enabled the industry to be carried on. 

 The herrings intended for the guarantee were inspected and branded or 

 graded during the progress of the season, but as no herrings were actually 

 taken over by the Government till 15th September the curers were faced 

 with the difficulty of providing the capital necessary to carry on operations 

 for the whole season. They were also faced with a large increase in the 

 cost of labour and curing material. These difficulties were largely respon- 

 sible for the low prices paid to the fishermen, in whose interests the scheme 

 was brought into force. Towards the close of the season a number of 

 curers were able to dispose of a considerable portion of their stocks, and 

 only about one -third of the total cure at this station was handed over to the 

 Government. No difficulty was experienced in carrying out the provisions 

 of the scheme. The system which was in vogue of grading the herrings 

 which were unfit or ineligible for the brand proved satisfactory to all 

 concerned. 



Small -line fishing received about the same amount of attention as 

 during the preceding year. During the last quarter of the year, however, 

 the fishing was frequently interrupted by stormy weather, and the total 

 catch shows a falling off of about 12 per cent. Owing to lower prices the 

 value is only about half that recorded for 1918. Great-line fishing receives 

 little attention in this district. 



One hundred and fifty-six crews belonging to the district prosecuted 

 herring fishing on the East Anglian coast during autumn. The season 

 proved moderately remunerative, the total gross earnings of the district 

 crews being £175,900. Unfortunately most of the crews employed lost a 

 portion of their fishing gear. 



The fishing industry so far as the producers are concerned has, after 

 four years of war, been to a large extent re-established. Most of the fishing 

 vessels that were on Admiralty service during the war have been returned 

 to their owners, and are now employed at fishing. The majority of the 

 fishermen have also returned to their pre-war occupation. At present, 

 however, the outlook for the fishing industry can hardly be described as 

 bright. The cost of fishing vessels and fishing gear has risen enormously 

 during the last four years, and fair returns to the fishermen cannot be 

 secured unless much higher prices than those ruling before the war are 

 obtained. The demand for fish in the home markets has increased con- 

 siderably during the past four years, and will probably continue to expand, 

 but the herring fishing must still to a large extent depend on the export 

 trade. Everything possible should be done to increase the home com- 



