87 



Appendices to Thirty-eighth Annual Beport 



until some improvement is made on tlie harbour the likelihood of much 

 further progress is remote. 



As in the past few years, the attention of the fishermen has been 

 centred mainly on the prosecution of the fishing from the various creeks 

 in the district. Formerly it was customary for many of the fishermen 

 to engage either as hired hands or with nets, for a considerable portion 

 of the year, in boats following the herring fishing at the principal centres. 

 In view, however, of the uncertainty of the herring fishing at the com- 

 mencement of the season in 1919, most of the fishermen considerea it 

 advisable to continue at small-line and hand-line fishing. Line fishing 

 is by far the most important fishing in the district, and during 1919, of 

 the total landings 82 per cent, was caught by lines. Of this quantity 

 75 per cent, was landed by motor boats. Haddocks, cod, and codlings 

 were, as usual, the prmcipal kinds of fish landed, and practically the whole 

 of the catch was despatched fresh to the southern markets. A few 

 haddocks, however, were smoked in Golspie and also in Helmsdale. 



Prices were very low during the warm weather owing to the fish 

 arriving at the markets in an unsatisfactory condition through lack of 

 ice and delay in transport. On this accomit the fishing was not prosecuted 

 so energetically during the summer months as it otherwise would have been. 



From February until about the middle of April cod -net fishing was 

 carried on by a fleet of 24 motor and 2 smaU sail boats, Helmsdale and 

 Grolspie being the chief centres. Unfortunately, owing to adverse weather 

 conditions, this fishing was not a success, some of the boats not making 

 sufficient to clear expenses. A few of the motor boats were, however, 

 more fortunate, and had earnings of over £500. The average gross 

 earnings for motor boats were £280, while the two sail boats averaged 

 £76 for the season. Catches ranged from 7 to 480 cod. 



Herring fishing in the district is practically non-existent, and only 

 109 crans, valued at £152, were landed during the year. These were landed 

 at Dunbeath during August and September by four small sail and two 

 small motor boats. Practically all were cured for consumption locally. 



Two steam drifters, two large motor boats, and three large sail boats 

 belonging to the district were engaged at the herring fishing at Wick 

 durmg the summer season, the drifters and one of the motor boats being 

 manned by crews from other districts. The average gross earnings of 

 these vessels were, for steam drifters £1535, motor boats £950, and sail 

 boats £212. In addition to these, one second-class motor boat belonging 

 to Golspie prosecuted herring fishing on the West Coast with satisfactory 

 results. 



Three steam drifters were employed at the East Anglian fishing, their 

 average gross earnings amounting to £1620. 



There was an increase of £261 in the value of shell-fish, chiefly owing 

 to the increased attention paid to lobster fishing, the value of lobsters 

 being £434, as compared with £47 in the previous year. There was, 

 however, a considerable decrease in the value of unclassified shell-fish. 



Very few barrels were made during the year, only one firm having 

 coopers employed at this work. 



Practically the whole of the district fishermen who served in the Navy 

 or Army have now been demobilised, and have resumed fishing. 



The amount of damage to boats and loss of gear throughout the 

 district was not great, and happily no lives were lost in connection with 

 the fisheries. 



John Buchan, 



Fishery Officer. 



FisHURY Ofi'ice, 

 Helmsdale, 13^^ January 1920. 



