of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



71 



Fraserburgh. — Compared with the average of the five years 

 immediately preceding the war, last year's herring catch shows a 

 decrease of 42 per cent, in quantity and 21 per cent, in value, while 

 working expenses during the past year were at least double those of 

 pre-war years. 



During the past two years the value of steam fishing vessels and 

 large motor boats has been gradually receding from the war inflated 

 prices. A number of large motor boats were broken up as useless 

 early in the year, but there was an increase in small motor and sail 

 boats used for the inshore fisheries. The considerable reduction in 

 the value of fishing gear is due not so much to the fall in prices as to 

 the fact that, owing to the poor results during the past two years, 

 fishermen were not in a position to purchase new gear, and that now 

 in use is old and almost worn out. The decrease in the number of 

 fishermen would have been greater but for the difficulty of obtaining 

 employment in other industries. 



The herring fishing commenced on the 14th June, but as coal 

 supplies were unobtainable only motor boats were at first fitted out. 

 The fleet then employed numbered 100, while the highest number of 

 vessels employed was 240, against 515 in 1920. Herrings were scarce, 

 although results were slightly better from the third week of July till 

 the first week of August, and they were of poor quality, lacking during 

 June and July the richness then normally characteristic of Bast Coast 

 herrings. 



As curers and others had made preparations for a normal catch, there 

 was a fair demand for the short supplies and prices were higher than 

 the cured market warranted, ranging from 5s. to 126s. per cran, and 

 averaging 29s. lid. compared with 51s. 4d. in 1920. Average gross 

 earnings of vessels were: — Steam drifters, £700; motor boats, £650; 

 and sail boats £300; against £1100, £700, and £400 respectively in 

 1920. The gross earnings were mostly absorbed by working expenses, 

 which indeed in not a few cases they were insufficient to meet. Most 

 of the herrings cured were disposed of, although at considerable loss, 

 and at the close of the year less than 3000 barrels, mostly large fulls 

 and fulls, were on hand. The demand in Continental markets throughout 

 the year was for the smaller brands, i.e. matfulls and matties. The 

 home market for kippers was also unsatisfactory, and kipperers sustained 

 a loss on the season's operations. As the markets for tinned herrings 

 were overstocked, the quantity prepared in this way was small. 



Owing to the poor herring fishing in 1920, a large number of crews 

 of steam drifters and large motor boats prosecuted great-line fishing 

 off this coast during the spring and summer of the past year when 

 the results were fairly satisfactory, although steam vessels were handi- 

 capped by the coal stoppage. The landings were almost double those 

 of the preceding year, although most of the best takes were landed 

 at Aberdeen and other ports. A number of district crews also prose- 

 cuted great-line fishing on the West Coast with fair success. 



More attention was also devoted to the inshore fisheries, especially 

 small lining, but the results were less satisfactory than in 1920. The 

 average catch for small motor boats was 2*26 cwts. against 3*16 cwts. 

 Haddocks were scarce during the whole year on the usual fishing grounds. 



One hundred and twenty-two crews belonging to this district 

 participated in the English herring fishing during October and November. 

 Unfortunately the season proved disastrous, as herrings at first were 

 scarce, and later, when heavy catches were obtained, prices fell to a 

 low level. The aggregate gross earnings of the district crews amounted 

 to £36,982, while the ordinary working expenses, excluding cost of food 



