xlii 



Second Aunual Report of the 



East Coast 



Herring 



Fishing. 



Increase per 

 cent, on last 

 Ten, Twenty- 

 rive, and 

 Fifty Years. 



The number of barrels cured in the year 1883, when compared 

 with that of 1882, shows an increase of 7*1 per cent. ; when com- 

 pared with the average of the last ten years, it shows an increase 

 of 23*9 per cent. ; of 25 years, 57 3 per cent. ; and of 50 years, 85*9 

 per cent. 



WEST COAST HERRING FISHERY. 



West Coast 



Herring 



Fishery. 



West Coast 

 Districts. 

 Stornoway 

 District. 



Fleet of Boats 

 1117. 



Barra Section. 



Fishing fairly 

 successful. 



Interrupted 



by stormy 



Weather. 



Stornoway 



Section. 



Length of 



Season. 



Fishing fairly 

 successful 

 when Boats 

 got to Sea. 



Fishing 

 grounds. 



Average Catch 

 of Section. 



Steamers and 

 Tugs 



employed. 



Stornoway 

 District. 

 Average Catch 

 of 1117 Boats. 



High price of 

 Herring. 

 Barrels cured. 



14,000 Crans 

 Kippered. 



The nine fishery districts on the west of Scotland are : — Storno- 

 way, Loch Broom, Loch Carron and Skye, Fort-William, Campbel- 

 town, Inveraray, Greenock, and Ballantrae, 



The herring fishing was begun by a few boats at Stornoway 

 about the end of April, but it did not become general till the middle 

 of May. The fleet numbered 1117 boats, being 183 less than in the 

 preceding year. 735 of these fished in Stornoway section, and 

 382 in Barra section. 



It was owing to the partial failure of the fishing in 1882, that 

 comparatively so few boats were engaged in the Barra section in 

 1883 against 609 in the previous year. Last season, however, 

 was fairly successful, the average catch being 53£ crans. In 1882 

 it scarcely reached 5 crans. The fishing began in the second week 

 of May, and was continued till the end of June. It was principally 

 prosecuted in the Atlantic Ocean from 15 to 20 miles west of 

 Barra, but was greatly interrupted by stormy weather. 



The fishing commenced in Stornoway section in May, and with 

 the exception that a few small sized native boats continued at work 

 until about 30 th September, it closed towards the end of June. 

 The weather was most unsuitable during the greater part of the 

 season, and the boats were very frequently detained in harbour ; 

 but when they got to sea, the fishing was prosecuted with a fair 

 amount of success. The shoals of herrings were chiefly found from 

 8 to 30 miles round the Butt of Lewis. In June catches were 

 daily got in the Minch 10 to 25 miles from shore. At Carloway, 

 where no fishing had been carried on for many years, 27 boats 

 were engaged. There seemed to be plenty of herrings near this 

 station, but it is much exposed to the Atlantic Ocean, and during 

 the whole season the boats only ventured to sea eleven times. 

 Their average catch per boat was 32 J crans. The average of the 

 735 boats which fished in Stornoway section was 48| crans, while 

 in 1882 it was 62 crans. Several steamers and tugs were advan- 

 tageously employed in carrying herrings, and in towing boats when 

 required. 



Stornoway district, embracing all the stations, shows for the 

 1117 boats engaged an average catch of 53 J crans. In 1882, 

 1300 boats, which then fished, averaged 35 crans. During the 

 season prices of fresh herrings were very high, reaching to 83s. 

 per cran. The total number of barrels cured in 1883 was 68,387^, 

 against 52,231 in 1882, the great bulk of which was sent to 

 the Continental markets. About 14,000 crans were kippered, 

 being a considerable increase on the number in 1882. 



