78 



Appendices to Fortieth Annual Report 



six weeks the principal grounds extended from 8 to 60 miles E.S.E. to 

 E.N.E. from Wick, where also results were very disappointing, but on 16th 

 June a motor boat arrived at Wick with a shot of 83 crans from the Sule 

 Skerry grounds, where a number of heavy shots were immediately 

 thereafter secured. The fleet then consisted of 10 steam> 52 motor and 

 2 sail boats, and operations were greatly restricted by scarcity of coal. 

 In the week ended 25th June, owing to heavy supplies and excessive 

 heat in London, prices of kippers fell to 3s. per box, causing heavy losses 

 to kipperers. Up to 9th July practically all the herrings landed were 

 bought at from 45s. to 146s. per cran for kippering. When coals became 

 available and steam drifters arrived in the middle of July, landings 

 improved, and curing for export was begun with limited staffs, but 

 supplies of herrings were never adequate to requirements. Prices then 

 ranged from 15s. to 37s. per cran. Herrings became scarce early in 

 August and the fleet steadily decreased, but in the latter half of August 

 a number of heavy shots ranging up to 141 crans were secured on the 

 inshore grounds off Clyth Ness, and some very satisfactory results were 

 also obtained on the Whiten Head grounds. 



When the fishing was most successful the herrings were chiefly 

 matfulls and matties of good quality, although somewhat deficient in 

 fat. The herrings caught on the grounds off the North Coast were 

 invariably of excellent quality, as were also those caught off* Clyth Ness. 



The season was unprofitable to the majority of the fishermen, especi- 

 ally crews of steam drifters, because of high working expenses. 



All the Government herrings of 1920 cure were shipped by October, 

 and at the close of the year only 2278 barrels of cured herrings remained 

 on hand. At the ruling prices during the year, viz. fulls 40s. to 43s. per 

 barrel, matfulls 30s. to 35s. and matties 30s. to 34s. f.o.b., curers sold at 

 a considerable loss, which was unfortunately aggravated through de- 

 preciation of the exchange. Kipperers had practically no profits on 

 their year's output. 



From Wick District 15 steam and 12 motor drifters engaged in the 

 Yarmouth herring fishing, but most failed to clear expenses. 



In September and October from 8 to 12 small motor boats engaged 

 in drift net fishing in Murkle Bay with considerable success. The 

 herrings were landed at Thurso, and were chiefly bought for bait at 45s. 

 to 65s. per cran. 



An increase in the landings of line-caught fish was largely due to 

 the quantity of hand-line cod and saithe (stoker fish) landed from vessels 

 engaged in herring fishing. 



A large number of local coopers were unemployed throughout the 

 year, and many others had long spells of idleness. 



In March a Wick fisherman, engaged in cod-net fishing, fell overboard 

 and was drowned; and on 22nd June the motor drifter " Cairndhuna," 

 W.K. 405, was lost in collision at the entrance to Wick harbour, but the 

 crew were saved and the fishing gear recovered. A large quantity of 

 fishing gear was lost, principally through stormy weather, and consider- 

 able damage was caused to small harbours on the North Coast on 17th 

 December, when also a fish-house in the vicinity of Thurso containing 

 fishery stores was swept into the river, and 2 small unregistered sail 

 boats were washed from Island Roan. 



A large number of the nets owned by the fishermen have become 

 almost useless. If the quality of the nets had been up to the usual 

 standard the catch at the summer fishing would have been at least 30 

 per cent, greater. The keeping of these nets in repair has been costly 

 to fishermen, and how to replace them has now become a difficult 

 problem. 



