61 Appendices to Thirty-eighth Annual Report 



the creeks were materially improved by the addition of new craft in place 

 of older vessels, and this notwithstanding the high cost of building. 

 Further, a number of the motor-propelled craft were during the year 

 equipped with engines of greater power, mostly of the Kelvin type, 

 26 b.h.p., in lieu of the 15-20 b.li.p. previously installed. These 

 engines cost £351 exclusive of fitting, against £125 for the engine discarded. 

 This improvement in the power and condition of the boats, along with the 

 increased cost of all fishing material, has greatly increased the value shown 

 in these returns. 



Although more boats were employed during the year under review, 

 the total results show a considerable faUing off in quantity and value, 

 the principal kinds affected being herrings, mackerel, and plaice. Local 

 boats operated to a greater extent than usual in other districts during 

 the year. 



The year opened with the usual herring fishing in Loch Ryan, which 

 was less productive than in 1918, and with the Fish (Prices) Order, 1918, 

 in operation, prices were kept at a lower level. The fleet operating 

 was not so large, a number of Loch Fyne crews electing to stay nearer 

 home where fair success was being obtained, while a number of district 

 crews participated to only a very hmited extent in this fishing. The 

 landings were extremely irregular, a few crews securing heavy hauls, 

 while a number of others barely earned enough to pay expenses. Subse- 

 quently, Ballantrae Bank was exploited when weather permitted, with 

 only moderate results, the aggregate taken from this area being approxi- 

 mately 3703 crans. 



During January, a Maidens pair, after landing 230 baskets at 

 Ayr, from Rothesay district, were making for home when they saw 

 signs of herrings in Culzean Bay. They shot their net and secured 

 over 600 baskets, handing over a residue in the net to another crew. 

 They returned to Ayr, and the herrings being of fine quahty, control 

 price was reafised for the shot. This fortunate pair grossed over 

 £1200 for their night's work ; this proving to be the outstandmg 

 catch of the year. Quality during this* period was generally good, and 

 prices ranged from 18s. to 31s. 6d. per basket. 



After an interval of some six weeks the herring fishing was again 

 renewed by most of the Ayrshire crews when, as usual, a considerable 

 portion of the Clyde area was exploited with drift and seine nets. Very 

 moderate results were obtained during the summer and autumn months. 

 In the early autumn the Girvan and Dunure fleets operated in Kilbrannan 

 Sound and Loch Fyne, and later on to the end of the year in the Kyles of 

 Bute, where most of them were still working when the year closed. 



Great-hne fishing was carried on from Stranraer by two large East 

 Coast motor boats, with fair results. Their gross earnings were ap- 

 proximately £1600 and £1200 respectively. District crews generally 

 confine great-line fishing to some six weeks or so between the Ballantrae 

 Bank herring fishing and the start of the summer fishing. During this 

 period some good results were obtained by local boats, helped by the 

 high prices ruHng, but, as usual at this time of the year, bait suppUes 

 were difficult to obtain. 



Simultaneously the Dunure fleet engaged in small-hne fishing with 

 excellent results, shots ranging up to 20 boxes of whitings per day. The 

 landings from this source are probably the best ever recorded for this 

 creek. 



Flounder fishing in the district was not so productive as during the 

 previous year — operations in this direction being less persistent than 

 usual in some of the sections. 



The shell-fisheries of the district call for no special comment'. Oyster 



