of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



61 



fleet, composed chiefly of East Coast craft, was employed last year. 

 Fishermen had a fairly successful season, as they received high prices 

 for their catches. The fish, however, were not of the usual quality 

 caught upon the ground frequented, and curers did not always obtain 

 the prices for the cured article that they anticipated. 



During the last two months of the year a dense shoal of herrings was 

 located in Loch Fyne and fishermen reaped a very rich harvest. On 

 some parts of the West Coast, however, fishing was almost an entire 

 blank, and where that occurred fishermen were in needy circumstances. 



Towards the end of September the usual migration of Scottish fisher- 

 men, curers and fishworkers to the East Anglian ports took place. It 

 was hoped that success would there be attained and the losses sustained 

 on the Scottish coast made good, but these hopes were not realised. 

 For the greater part of the season fish were scarce on the grounds, and 

 when a body of fish was met with they were found to be of poor quality 

 and did not realise good prices, and the season proved a great dis- 

 appointment to all concerned. 



Many fishermen have not succeeded in earning a livelihood. Fishing 

 gear has been extremely high in price, and with the poor earnings it 

 has been impossible to renew or maintain outfits, which are, therefore, 

 becoming depleted, and fishermen are being placed in a very dis- 

 advantageous position. With the continued closure of the Russian 

 markets and the unstable condition of the German Exchange, it appears 

 as if the recovery of the herring industry is going to be a slow process, 

 but the prospects are, on the whole, better than they were at the 

 beginning of 1921. 



The trawling industry passed through a very trying and generally un- 

 remunerative year. No doubt the effects of the prolonged coal dispute 

 were among the worst troubles that had to be contended with. 

 Working expenses were high in any case, but during the dispute they rose 

 to an enormous extent, and owners were compelled to lay up for a time 

 a good number of their boats. 



The number of trawlers at work, which in 1920 was already in excess 

 of pre-war times, was further considerably increased during the year, 

 but landings and value show large decreases when compared with the 

 previous year's figures. That, however, is not surprising, when the 

 serious interruptions that took place are considered. 



Herring trawling, which is usually prosecuted for some weeks about 

 the close of the summer herring fishing season, was engaged in by a 

 number of crews operating from the different trawling ports. The 

 venture, however, was not attended with great success. 



At some of the Moray Firth and East Coast ports a considerable 

 number of steam drifters were equipped and utilised for otter trawling. 

 On the whole, however, they were not very successful, as they were 

 only suitable for operating on the more shallow grounds. 



High railway rates constitute a question which causes a great amount 

 of dissatisfaction amongst traders. Appeals to the Railway Companies 

 did not result in any great redress, and there have been some suggestions 

 to adopt road transport for fish distribution in opposition to the railway 

 services. In some isolated cases it is already in operation and has been 

 successful. 



Great-lining was largely centred at Aberdeen, and the largest fleet 

 on record was engaged, but operations were considerably interrupted 

 by the coal dispute. While some vessels had fairly good earnings, 

 results on the whole did not come up to expectations, but this branch 

 of the industry is developing, and the outlook for it is much brighter 

 than for trawling. 



