of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



13 



prices began to fall, many boats proceeded to Buckie, Fraserburgh, 

 Peterhead, Aberdeen, and even as far south as North Shields. 



The fleet operating from Stornoway and other West Coast ports 

 was considerably smaller than in the previous winter fishing. Owing 

 to scarcity of herrings and the fluctuating prices at these ports, many 

 vessels which started fishing on the West Coast transferred their 

 activities to the North Coast when the fishing there developed, 

 hoping at the same time to secure better prices and more adequate 

 and cheaper supplies of coal at East Coast ports. Operations were, 

 however, regularly pursued between Tiumpan Head and the Butt of 

 Lewis and also off Bulgie Island, where the best results were obtained. 

 The quality was seldom satisfactory, as in addition to the fish being 

 in poor condition the shoals contained a large percentage of small 

 fish, and when prices fell in February and several kippering firms 

 closed down fishermen saw that to continue fishing would simply 

 involve them in debt, and the fleet therefore gradually dispersed. 



An improvement in the price of kippers, however, took place after 

 many of the boats had gone home from both the North and West 

 Coast fishings, and those who remained to the end of the season were 

 well rewarded. 



During the winter fishing, when prices came within the reach of 

 curers, considerable quantities were cured and despatched to German, 

 French and Dutch ports, but met with little or no demand. The 

 experience of kipperers and freshers was not much better. Owing to 

 the comparatively high prices paid at the ports of landing, sharp 

 losses were sustained on a number of consignments to the southern 

 markets which arrived when these were overstocked. Fishermen's 

 earnings for the fishing varied greatly, drifters grossing from £230 to 

 £1420, and motor boats £160 to £670, while the average working 

 expenses amounted to £460 and £240 respectively. 



The winter fishing in the Firth of Forth continued from the 

 beginning of the year to the first week in April. The results in 

 January were very satisfactory, but from February onwards the 

 shoals were sporadic and earnings irregular. The number of heavy 

 shots landed was exceptional for the season of the year, and certain 

 crews did remarkably well. The total catch for Eyemouth, Leith 

 and Anstruther districts up to the end of March amounted to the 

 very satisfactory total of 145,956 cwts. valued at £84,137, as against 

 31,557 cwts. and £28,427 for the corresponding period in 1 920. 



3. Summer Fishing. 



Under ordinary conditions a general start would probably have 

 been made at herring fishing in the North Sea in the month of May, 

 but owing to the scarcity of coal and the uncertainty as to whether 

 fishing could be conducted profitably apart from Government aid, 

 only a small fleet was at work in that month. A voluntary close 

 time was generally recognised on the East Coast except at Eyemouth 

 until the last week of May, when a number of steam liners began to 

 dispose of surplus herring bait to kipperers and freshers, and this 

 induced a few additional boats to proceed to sea. During the first 

 week of the same month, however, several large motor and sail boats 

 from the East Coast ports proceeded to the West Coast, and landings 



