xxxviii 



Second Annual Report of the 



East Coast 



Herring 



Fishery. 



Fishermen 

 attracted to 

 Shetland. 



Storms and 

 Calms 

 interrupted 

 Fishing. 



Heavy Catches 

 unprecedented. 



Netting lost 

 by weight of 

 Fish. 



Steam Tugs. 



Steam Fishing 

 Boats. 



Curing Vessels. 



Herrings Cured 

 at Sea Branded. 



Results. 



Aberdeen 

 District. 



Peterhead 

 District. 



Fraserburgh 

 District. 



harbours are, was 2056, being 148 less than in 1882. This 

 decrease was owing to some of the most enterprising curers and 

 fishermen having been attracted to Shetland by the unprecedented 

 prosperity of the herring fishery there. The fishing commenced 

 on the Aberdeenshire coast in the beginning of July, and ended 

 about the first week of September. It was prosecuted with much 

 energy and perseverance; but in the eight weeks, when it was 

 general, there were storms and occasional calms, which kept the 

 boats in harbour fully one-third of the fishing nights. The most 

 productive week in Aberdeen district was that ending 25th 

 August, when the average catch per boat was 26 crans, but 

 there were takes of from 80 to 97 crans. The same week was 

 also the heaviest in Peterhead district, and the number of 

 heavy catches there was quite unprecedented. Takes of 90 to 

 120 crans were common, and the week's fishing gave the high 

 average of 50 crans per boat. Unfortunately, however, there 

 was a great loss of netting, which had been sunk by the weight 

 of the herrings caught. In Fraserburgh district takes of 80 to 

 90 crans were got in July, but the best week of the season was 

 that ending 18th August, when the average catch per boat was 

 about 23 crans. Steam-tugs were extensively employed at the 

 three stations, and rendered valuable assistance in towing the boats 

 during calm weather. There were 3 steam fishing boats engaged 

 at Aberdeen, but although well furnished with all the necessary 

 equipments, their catch was under the average of the fleet. At 

 Peterhead there were 2 vessels employed which had been fitted out 

 for the deep-sea fishing with nets, barrels, and salt, and they were 

 fairly successful. The herrings which they caught were cured at 

 sea, a system which has been in abeyance on the east coast for 

 many years, and a portion of them having been cured in conformity 

 with the requirements of the Fishery Acts and regulations, was 

 found entitled to the official brand. 



The season closed with the following results for the three dis- 

 tricts : — 



Aberdeen had an average catch of 89 crans per boat, and a total 

 of 51,828 barrels cured, being a decrease, when compared with 

 1882, of 77 crans on the average, and of 59,143 in the number of 

 barrels. 



Peterhead had an average of 155 crans per boat, and a total of 

 182,590 barrels cured, showing an increase on the previous year of 

 4 crans on the average, but a decrease of 3114 on the barrels. 



Fraserburgh had an average of 138 crans per boat, and a total of 

 192,827J barrels cured, being 17 crans on the average and 40,470 

 barrels respectively less than in the preceding year. 



Banff District. In Banff district 182 boats were engaged in 1883, being 

 the same number as in 1882. The fishing began in the second 

 week of July, and closed in the first week of September, but 

 it was occasionally interrupted by calms and contrary winds. 



Average Catch. The average catch of the year was 117 crans per boat, against 

 137 in 1882. The most successful week was that ending 4th 

 August, when the fleet averaged 27 crans per boat. 



