1 



Second Annual Report of the 



Cod ancVLing 

 Fishery.* 



Fairly 

 successful. 

 Decrease in 

 quantity cured. 



Stormy 

 weather 

 restricted 

 Fishing. 



Most 



productive 

 Stations in 

 Scotland. 

 Rich Fishing 

 Grounds. 

 Herring 

 Fishing more 

 profitable than 

 Cod and Ling. 



Fewer Vessels 

 fitted out for 

 Faroe and 

 Rockall. 



Last Year's 

 Fishing not 

 successful. 



COD AND LING FISHERY. 



The cod and ling fishery of 1883 was fairly successful, although 

 it shows a decrease as compared with the fishing of 1882 of 1,001£ 

 cwts. cured dried, and 427 barrels cured in pickle. Fish seemed to 

 be abundant, and good supplies of herring bait were usually 

 obtained ; but the fishermen experienced very stormy weather 

 throughout the whole winter and most of the spring, especially in 

 the Stornoway district, which greatly restricted their operations. 



Of the gross quantity cured at all the stations in Scotland, 

 Orkney, Shetland, and Stornoway districts produced more than 

 two-thirds. Shetland alone gave considerably more than one- third. 

 In these districts this branch of the fishing industry is capable of 

 being developed to a much greater extent than has recently been 

 the case, as they lie contiguous to fishing grounds, where cod and 

 ling are found in large quantities ; but the remarkable success of 

 the herring fishery during the last few years has resulted in the 

 fishermen devoting themselves to its prosecution, to the comparative 

 neglect of the other. 



Only 9 vessels were fitted out for the Faroe and Eockall fishery, 

 against 19 in 1882, while a few years ago the number was about 

 40. It is now a matter of difficulty to get crews to man these 

 vessels. Last year's fishing was not successful, and present appear- 

 ances indicate that this branch of the industry may soon be given 

 up altogether, owing to the more profitable fishing which is to be 

 found at home. 



The total quantities of cod, ling, and hake cured and exported in 

 1882 and 1883 respectively, are— 



Cod and Ling 

 Cured and 

 Exported in 

 1882 and 1883 

 compared. 



Total Quantities of Cod, Ling, and Hake. 



Increase in 

 Exports to 

 Ireland. 



Cured. 



Exported all Cured Dried. 



Years. 



Dried. 



In 

 Pickle. 



To 

 Ireland. 



To the 

 Con- 

 tinent. 



To places 

 out of 

 Europe. 



Total. 



1882, .... 



1883, .... 



Cwts. 

 121,337 

 120,335| 



Barrels. 

 7,737 

 7,310 



Cwts. 

 23,846 

 36,666! 



Cwts. 

 23,326 

 17,123 



Cwts. 

 9,325 

 2,736 



Cwts. 

 56,497 

 56,5254 



Increase in 1883, . 

 Decrease in 1883, 



l',001£ 



427 



12,8204 



6^203 



6,589 



28! 



The increased exports to Ireland were owing to there having been 

 a better demand in that country last year than in the Continental 

 and foreign markets. 



Cod and Ling Table I. Appendix B, shows the number of vessels fitted out in 

 of Vesseis Board Scotland last year for the cod and ling fishery ; the districts from 

 which they were fitted out, the tonnage of the vessels, and the number 

 of men ; also the quantity of cod, ling, and hake cured on board. 



