of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



259 



the years 1893 and 1899, which also includes particulars respecting 

 the trammel -net fishery — a method which is for the most part restricted 

 to the coast of Ayrshire : 





Boats. 



Men. 



Herrings. 



Value. 



1893. 







Crans. 



£ 



Drift net, 



436 



1,279 



53,348 



45,440 



Seine net, 



352 



1,474 



63,854 



57,449 



Trammel net, 



79 



250 



695 



693 



1899. 











Drift net, 



404 



1,262 



15,965 



18,009 



Seine net, 



328 



1,382 



54,059 



70,325 



Trammel net, 



22 



74 



757 



751 



Thus in 1893, in the whole area of the Clyde, there were, according 

 to the returns of the Fishery Officers, 436 boats and 1272 men 

 employed in drifting for herrings, and 352 boats and 1474 men 

 employed in the seine-net fishing. The herrings landed by the seine- 

 net boats exceeded those of the drift-net boats in quantity by 10,506 

 crans and in value by £12,009. The average price of seine-net herrings 

 was about 18s. per cran, and of drift-net herrings 17s. 0|d. per cran. 

 Moreover, the average catch per boat of the drifters was 122*3 crans, and 

 the average earnings =£104 4s. 5d.; while the average catch of the seine- 

 net boats was 181*4 crans, and the average earnings .£163 4s. 2d. The 

 average catch per man of the drifters was 41*7 crans, and the earnings 

 <£35 10s. 6d., as against an average catch by the seiners of 43*3 crans 

 and earnings of £38 19s. 6d. per man. In 1899 the difference in favour 

 of the seiners was more marked. While the 404 drift boats landed 

 only 15,965 crans of herrings of the value of £18,009, the 328 seine 

 boats landed 54,059 crans, valued at £70,325. There was thus an 

 excess in favour of the seiners of 38,094 crans and £52,316. The 

 average catch and earnings rose also in proportion. 



It is therefore evident that the seine-net fishing for herrings has 

 grown to be of very considerable importance in the Clyde, and that it 

 has largely increased relatively to drift-net fishing since the time when 

 it was alleged to be ruining the Loch Fyne herring fishery, and the 

 Trawling Acts were passed to suppress it ; while, at the same time, the 

 supply of herrings for the consumer has been fully maintained. 



Ballanteae Bank. 



It has already been stated that in consequence of complaints made by 

 Ayrshire fishermen against the use of the seine net on that coast, and 

 especially at Ballantrae Bank, an enquiry on the subject was held at 

 Girvan in 1893. Seine-net fishing was alleged to be wasteful and 

 injurious on the following grounds : — 1. That it involves the capture of 

 large quantities of immature herrings, which when brought to shore are 

 found to be practically of no use except for manure ; and that in addition 

 large quantities of immature herrings are smothered in the seine nets, 

 and fall to the bottom and are lost. 2. That it is an irregular mode of 

 fishing in the sense that on one day a huge catch may be obtained, 

 which gluts the market, while on the next day no herrings may be 

 caught. 3. That it " breaks the eye of the herring" or "the head of 



