33 



Appendices to Thirty-eighth AnnvMl Report 



The number that received the Crown Brand is the highest recorded 

 for more than 20 years. 



After the close of the summer herring fishing fishermen refitted for the 

 East Anglian fishing. In this fishing 198 steam and 115 motor boats 

 participated, and as a minimum price of 45s. per cran was assured to the 

 fishermen, transactions between them and curers as a rule worked satis- 

 factorily. 



Weather conditions, however, were the worst experienced for many 

 years, and as the fishing gear was in a weak condition, after having lain 

 idle during the past five years, the loss of netting was great, the average 

 loss being about 40 nets per boat. 



Notwithstanding this, the results of the English fishing, on the whole, 

 may be considered good. 



The gross earnings of steam drifters ranged from £900 to £3000, the 

 average being £1500, while the average gross earnings of motor boats 

 were £850. 



On their return from the English fishing a good number of the drifters 

 and motor boats proceeded to the West Coast herring fishing, and made 

 good earnings during December. 



SmaU-line fishing was prosecuted to a greater or less extent throughout 

 the year from aU the creeks in the district, priacipally by the older fisher- 

 men who do not follow the herring fishing. The results of this fishing 

 show a great improvement both in quantity and value compared with the 

 previous year. 



Boat builders were busily employed during the year refitting vessels 

 which were released from Grovernment service, and the only new boats 

 built were three drifters to the order of the Admiralty. 



In addition to the extensive slip and boat-building yards of Jones 

 Buckie SKp & Shipyard Limited, two new slips and a new boat -building 

 yard have been erected at Buckie during the year by two other firms, and 

 reconditioning work is being carried on at aU the yards. 



During the latter part of the year all the coopers available were busily 

 employed at barrel-making at Portknockie, Findochty, and Buckie. 



Unfortunately a fisherman belonging to Buckie fell overboard from 

 his fishing yawl, and was drowned. 



A large motor boat foimdered during the summer herring fishing off 

 Copinshay, owing to the shaft of the propeller breaking away. 



A. J. MUNRO, 



Fishery Officer, 



Fishery Office, Buckie, 

 \2ih January 1920. 



Findhorn District, 



As a result of the demobilisation of men from naval service and the 

 completed reconditioning of a number of vessels released from Admiralty 

 service, fishing operations were prosecuted on a considerably larger scale 

 than during the previous year. The number of men employed was con- 

 siderably more than double the number employed during 1918, the actual 

 increase amoimting to 630, while the number of vessels employed was 

 greater by 56. 



The large increase in the number of men and vessels available for 

 fishing resulted in the abnormally high prices for fish prevailing during 

 1918 being substantially reduced, and while the district returns of fish 

 landed during 1919 show an increase of 16,982 cwts. the value was £71,621 

 less than for the pre^ious year. 



