59 



Appendices to Thirty-eighth Annual Report 



Greenock District. 



Both as regards quantity and value the returns of fish (excluding shell- 

 fish) landed in this district during 1919 show a marked decrease from the 

 figures for the preceding year. In quantity the decrease was 32 per cent, 

 and in value 61 per cent. This falling off was largely attributable to trawl- 

 ing operations which, so far as this district was concerned, were conducted 

 on a much smaller scale than was the case in the previous year. There 

 was also a considerable drop in the value of herrings, but this was more 

 than counterbalanced by the landings by steam liners. 



The Means of Capture Returns also show a downward tendency. One 

 steam trawler was lost while on Admiralty service, and 7 others were trans- 

 ferred to English ports. Five motor boats with engines of from 6 to 22 h.p. 

 were added to the fishing register. One of these was a new boat, 2 were 

 bought from other districts, and 2 were previously used for pleasure. 

 Against this, 9 were struck ofi the Register — 3 being transferred to other 

 districts, and 6 as being no longer used for fishing. There was a decrease 

 of 8 in the number of sailing boats belonging to the district. 



During the year 1918 considerable quantities of fish were landed by 

 steam trawlers on Admiralty service in the Clyde, but, after these vessels 

 were withdrawn, no landings were derived from that source. 



Most of the trawl and steam-line caught fish credited to the district in 

 1919 was landed at Glasgow during the latter part of the year. The 

 difficulty in getting fish transported from the usual centres during the 

 railway strike had, no doubt, a deal to do with those vessels making Glas- 

 gow their port of call, as they were thus enabled to dispose of their catches 

 on the spot. 



The quantity of herrings recorded in the returns was very similar to 

 that of the preceding year, but there was a decrease in value to the extent 

 of £4337. Comparatively few herrings were caught in local waters, and the 

 bulk of the catch was brought in by boats engaged in other Clyde districts. 

 With the exception of an occasional shot, the herrings were of very mixed 

 quality — small predominating. 



For the most part the catch was sent from the ports of landing to 

 Glasgow and English markets in a fresh state, the average price to the 

 fishermen working out at 35s. M. per cran, as compared with 58s. in the 

 preceding year and 79s. in 1917. 



The catch and value of mackerel fell off by 347 cwts. and £803. As in 

 the case of herrings, these were all railed in a fresh state to Glasgow and 

 other markets, the average price being 12s. id. per cwt. as against 23s. 

 in 1918. 



In addition to the landings by fishing boats, large quantities of herrings 

 and mackerel from other districts were landed by trading and herring- 

 carrying steamers at Gourock, Wemyss Bay, Fairlie, and Ardrossan for 

 despatch to the different markets. 



The net and line fishing for white fish by motor and sail boats in this 

 district was of no great importance and a good proportion of the catch was 

 retailed in the localities where the fish were landed. The total catch for 

 the year was 1231 cwts., valued at £2668, being a decrease of 264 cwts. 

 and £1020 from the figures for 1918. Cod and codlings averaged 61s. 8d. 

 per cwt. ; saithe, lis. 6d. ; eels, 40s. ; and floimders and plaice, 57s. 6d., 

 as against, 55s. 9d., 28s. 3d., 44s., and 71s. 4d. per cwt. respectively 

 in 1918. 



The returns of shell-fish for 1918 were comparatively light, and it is 

 satisfactory to note that there was an improvement in the landings of 

 mussels and unclassified shell-fish during the year under review. The 



