of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



73 



and a few motor boats, proceeded to prosecute the herring fishing in 

 English waters. The earnings of steam drifters were from £'350 to £800, 

 and for motor boats from £200 to £450. It is estimated that the local 

 craft would just clear their expenses. 



A few steam drifters tried the loch fishing on the West Coast during 

 December, but the heavy expenses absorbed all the earnings. 



Four steam drifters are fitted out with the Danish seine net, and 

 will give this method of fishing a further trial during the coming spring. 



Unfortunately, three Gardenstown fishermen were drowned by the 

 capsizing of their boat when engaged in hauling crab creels, and a 

 Whitehills fisherman was drowned at Lowestoft through the sinking of 

 his vessel in collision. 



Buckie. — Fishcurers appreciate the steps taken towards securing 

 new markets for cured herrings, but are convinced that little can be 

 done to restore the industry until the political and economic conditions 

 of Germany and Eussia improve. 



Seventy-five per cent, of the fishermen are now short of fishing gear, 

 and, as they are unable to replace the old gear they are at present using, 

 it is evident the industry cannot stand much further strain. 



During the past year 5 steam drifters were converted into cargo 

 boats, 1 was sunk, 1 wrecked, and 4 sold out of the district, while 

 no new vessel was built. Quite a number were offered for sale, but 

 failed to find purchasers. A number of motor boats were destroyed 

 by fire, several were broken up as being unseaworthy, while 2 were 

 converted into trading vessels. 



In the early part of the year, twenty-four drifter crews decided to 

 go in for trawling. Nineteen of their vessels were properly fitted out 

 and fished until the end of the year, usually landing at Aberdeen, but 

 the remaining five were only fitted with ordinary steam capstans, and 

 as they did not earn sufficient to clear expenses, the trawl gear was 

 taken ashore and the vessels prepared for the English herring fishing. 



Most of the drift-net fishermen participated in the winter fishing 

 on the West and North Coasts until about the end of February. 

 For a week or two only a small fleet was employed and results were 

 satisfactory, but about the middle of January the fleet was greatly 

 increased, and as the home markets were glutted, prices fell to a low 

 level. Late in January 5 steam drifters were chartered to convey part 

 of the heavy landings to the Continent, and 1100 crans were sprinkled 

 with salt and sent to Ymuiden, while 300 crans iced and salted were 

 sent to Hamburg, but the venture proved unprofitable. On the 5th of 

 February six catches of from 40 to 100 crans of indifferent quality had 

 to be dumped at Buckie and the fishing collapsed. 



Cod-net fishing was prosecuted from the middle of January to the 

 first week in April by 15 steam, 72 motor and 16 sail vessels, compared 

 with 5 steam, 58 motor and 6 sail in 1920. During the first few weeks 

 stormy weather greatly hindered operations, but fairly good results were 

 obtained later from the fishing grounds lying to the north side of the 

 Moray Firth, although heavy loss of gear was caused by foreign trawlers. 



The season's catch was 21,215 cwts., being 3177 cwts. better than in 

 1920, but the average value per cwt. was only 17s. 5d. as against 31s. 7d. 



Summer Herring Fishing. — When after the coal dispute bunkers 

 became available in July, 215 steam drifters and 110 motor boats 

 proceeded to Shetland, Orkney, Wick and Fraserburgh. At Lerwick 

 results were good, but crews operating from other centres had a most 

 unprofitable season. Boats' earnings ranged from £300 to £1700, whilst 

 the average gross earnings were about £550, but few crews had any 



