of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



40 



As the time approached for commencing the summer herring fishing, 

 the prospects for that fishing were dark owing to the disorganised condition 

 of Russia and Germany — the principal markets for cured herrings. It 

 was well known that a highly efficient fleet of fishing craft would engage 

 in the fishing, and, as the vessels were hkely to carry on fishing operations 

 in areas which had been closed since the beginning of the war, it was 

 generally expected that the fishing would be heavy, and that a large per- 

 centage of the catch would have to be cured gutted for consumption 

 abroad. The fears of the fishermen regarding the price they were to 

 receive for herrings landed, and of the curers as to the marketing of their 

 cured herrings, were dispelled by the Government guaranteeing to take 

 over the great bulk of the season's cure at prices which were calculated 

 to insure to fishermen and curers a working profit. 



The summer herring fishing was commenced on 15th May by a small 

 fleet which increased steadily until the middle of August when it consisted 

 of 185 vessels. It is noteworthy that at Wick only 5 sail boats were 

 employed at the summer fishing, as against 145 in the summer fishing of 

 1914. During the war period the majority of these boats were fitted with 

 motor engines, although a considerable number became unseaworthy. 

 In May the boats operated off the North Coast in the vicinity of Whiten 

 Head Bank and Sule Skerry, and secured fairly satisfactory results. The 

 herrings landed were of the Matje description, and were bought chiefly 

 for kippering and freshing purposes. In June the fleet had increased to 70 

 vessels, and fishing operations were extended to the Moray Firth. From 

 that time on to the end of the season, the principal fishing grounds of the 

 Wick fleet lay from 10 to 50 miles off Wick in an east by south to east by 

 north direction. On these grounds herrings were very plentiful, and 

 day after day throughout the months of June, July, and up to the 23rd 

 of August, without a break except on Saturday 19th July — Peace Day — 

 which was observed as a general hoHday, the boats returned to port with a 

 heavy fishing. Never could there have been a more regular fishing. From 

 1st July to 23rd August the weekly catches landed at Wick varied from 

 5500 crans to 14,314 crans, the average being 10,456 crans. In general 

 throughout the season the herrings were of very fine quahty, and were 

 usually landed in excellent condition. 



By the middle of Jime gutting operations had been commenced by the 

 majority of the curers. Some of the firms, however, were employed in a 

 profitable kippering business, and did not begin to cure gutted until 

 the middle of July. There was a great shortage of women workers. In 

 that respect practically all the curing estabhshments were under-staffed, 

 and several curers, having failed to secure gutters and packers, were unable 

 to do any business during the summer season. Usually gutting began 

 early in the day, and was continued as long as the women could see. 



There was httle time for the making up of cured herrings, and the 

 curing yards became filled up with seasticks, three tiers high. A number 

 of the curers, owing to lack of room, had to leave their yards, and remove 

 to vacant plots in order to continue curing operations. About the 

 middle of August occasional shots of spents were landed. On the 19th 

 the sail boat " Unity " W.K. 180 arrived at Wick "with 90 crans of spent 

 herrings. No curer could be got to buy this shot, and it was sold to the 

 guano factory at 4s. per cran, and converted into manure. The follomng- 

 week the stranger boats began to leave for home, and the season practically 

 closed on 23rd August. The total catch for the summer season amounted 

 to 101,050 crans. The value thereof was £130,110, the average price 

 working out at 25s. 9d. per cr%n. Of the total catch 102,272 barrels were 

 cured gutted, and 3246 l^amls were cured ungutted. 14,112 crans were 

 kippered, and 4540 cr^i^is disposed of in a fresh state., 

 e 



