of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



65 



early in the season, however, and owing to the scarcity of fish prices 

 were high, compensating to some extent for the high running expenses 

 and irregular trips. In June bait and line fish were difficult to locate 

 and dog-fish numerous, and the greater part of the fleet was laid up. 



About half the fleet of motor boats and 2 of the steam drifters fitted 

 out for the summer herring fishing from northern ports, but only a few 

 of the most successful boats succeeded in clearing expenses. 



Of the local fleet 52 steam drifters and 37 motor boats prosecuted 

 the East Anglian herring fishing, but the season was disappointing and 

 most of the vessels worked at a loss. 



A regular small-line and hand-line fishing is carried on by the 

 smaller class of motor and sail boats belonging to the creeks between 

 Buckhaven and Kingsbarns, and during the seasons these boats also 

 prosecute the herring, anchored net, and cod net fishings. Repeated 

 attempts at cod net fishing met with such poor results that the fishermen 

 took ashore their gear. The herring shoals never came to the usual 

 inshore grounds during the year under review, so that very little was 

 made off the anchored herring nets. The line-fishing was therefore the 

 chief occupation carried on with these boats, but the average earnings 

 of each boat were very small. 



With the opening of St. Andrews Bay to flounder seine-net fishing, 

 this method was generally adopted by the St. Andrews fishermen as 

 their main occupation. During the summer months these fishermen 

 were very successful, but on the approach of autumn and winter, with 

 short periods of daylight and frequent storms, the results were disappoint- 

 ing. Cod net fishing was then prosecuted with a fair measure of 

 success. 



Sprat fishing was carried on from Newburgh, but there was no 

 demand for sprats, and most of the 80 tons caught was sold for manure 

 at £2 per ton. 



During the year 3 first class and 1 second class motor boats were 

 destroyed by fire. The fishing gear was salved in each case, the loss was 

 covered by insurance, and, fortunately, no life was lost in connection 

 with the accidents. 



At the close of the year one of the local drifters was fitted out for 

 trawling. If this proves successful, and the herring fishing shows no 

 sign of improvement, one or two more vessels may probably be fitted 

 out similarly during the ensuing year. None of the local vessels has 

 yet been fitted out for Danish seine-net fishing. 



Unfortunately two local fishermen lost their lives during the past 

 year through falling overboard in English harbours. 



Montrose. — In this District herring fishing has for a number of 

 years been of practically no account, and — apart from trawling from the 

 port of Dundee — the fishermen have gradually settled down to line, 

 seine flounder net, and cod-net fishing during the whole year. 



Throughout the year fish were landed always in good condition, but 

 during the latter six months the higher priced kinds were scarce, and 

 small haddocks and whitings were too plentiful for remunerative sales. 

 The net results cannot be described as satisfactory to owners and 

 fishermen, as the cost of production, although gradually decreasing, 

 continued high and made wage earning difficult and dividend earning 

 impossible ; but, in view of the difficulties experienced in the Scottish 

 fisheries in general, for the industry in this District to have held its own 

 is no mean achievement. 



The most productive branch of the industry was trawling, which 

 was conducted principally from Dundee. Ten trawlers are owned 



E 



