Fishery Board for Scotland. 



xlvii 



herring fishery of Scotland has thus been becoming greater. The Herring 

 gross number of barrels cured in the year 1883, when compared Fisher y- 

 with the average of the last 10 years, shows an increase of 23 per increase per 

 cent. ; when compared with the average of the last 25 years it JjgjJ- ° n la ^ 

 shows an increase of 34*5 per cent.; and of the last 50 years, 46 five and Fifty 

 per cent. As a further illustration of the wonderfully great de- Years - 

 velopment of this fishery, we desire to point out that when Great Deveiop- 

 the first returns were compiled by the former Fishery Board in Ser° f since 

 1809, the whole number of barrels cured was only 90,1 85 \ ; i809. 

 whereas the number cured last year, as stated above, was 

 1,269,412^, or an increase of 1307*5 per cent. 



QUALITY OF HERRINGS. 



Speaking generally, the quality of the herrings caught on the Herrings 

 whole coasts of Scotland last year was good. Those got in Camp- § e JJ2 a Q^ a i/ t 

 beltown and Inveraray districts were remarkably fine, and fully as °° ua 1 y " 

 large as in any former season ; but at some other places it was 

 thought the size was smaller than in 1882. 



HERRINGS CURED ON BOARD OF VESSELS AND 

 ON SHORE. 



Table I. Appendix A, shows the number of vessels fitted out in Vessels ; and 



Herrings c 

 on Board. 



Scotland last year for the herring fishery ; the districts from which He ™g« c^ed 



they were fitted out, their tonnage and the number of men, the 

 quantity of netting, salt and empty barrels shipped, and the total 

 number of barrels of white herrings cured on board ; distinguishing 

 those cured gutted from those cured ungutted. 



Table II. Appendix A, shows the number of barrels of white Herrings cured 

 herrings cured or salted in Scotland last year by fish-curers on shore, on sllore - 

 and the districts in which they were cured; distinguishing the 

 herrings cured gutted from those cured ungutted. 



Table III. Appendix A, shows the total number of barrels of white Total of 

 herrings cured or salted in Scotland last year, both on board of ^^ss^ed 

 vessels and on shore, distinguishing the herrings cured gutted from on Shore, 

 those cured ungutted. To this table is added a supplementary 

 note showing the number of barrels cured or salted last year on Herrings cured 

 the west coast of Scotland, as stated by the districts where the on West Coast - 

 herrings were caught. 



BRANDING OF HERRINGS. 



The quantity of herrings cured in 1883, and which, after examina- Branding of 

 tion by the Board's officers, was found entitled to the brand, Herrmgs * 

 amounted to 470,995 J barrels. This was an increase of 8,383 on g^g eon 

 the barrels branded in the previous year. The increase would have Branded, 

 been much greater had it not been that in consequence of many of 

 the boats being frequently detained at sea by calms and adverse 

 winds, their herrings were so deteriorated in condition on being Herrings not in 

 landed that they could not be properly cured. This state of g° od condition, 

 matters, as indeed is the case more or less every season, called for 



