of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



79 



Orkney. — The decrease in the number of boats belonging to the 

 district is due mainly to the cancellation of third-class sailing boats, 

 which are no longer employed in fishing for sale. One large sailing boat 

 was sold out of the district, another was broken up, and a further 

 reduction in the near future is inevitable, as several of those remaining 

 are unseaworthy. Motor engines were installed into 5 small sail boats, 

 and 2 small motor boats were built for local fishermen. 



The herring fishery was carried on almost entirely by stranger 

 fishermen and curers, and only seven local crews and a small number of 

 shore workers took part. For a time it appeared improbable that 

 operations would be carried on, but in June an enterprising East Coast 

 curer guaranteed 20s. per cran for all herrings landed during a certain 

 week by local sail boats, and by the middle of July ten stations were 

 opened, employing 81 crews of gutters. At first the fishing fleet con- 

 sisted entirely of sailing and motor boats, but after the coal stoppage 

 steam drifters commenced working from Stronsay. 



For five weeks the curing staffs were kept fully employed, and on 

 several occasions vessels arriving late could not dispose of their takes 

 and had to proceed to other centres, where a ready market was invariably 

 obtained. After the first week of August, however, repeated trials on 

 the same grounds yielded only meagre takes, and the season ended on 

 26th August. Prices ranged from 6s. to 303., averaging 20s. per cran, at 

 which figure fishing was certainly unremunerative. Many crews failed 

 to clear expenses, while the net earnings of the remainder were poor 

 indeed. In this respect the crews of sailing boats, whose outlays are 

 small, were the more fortunate. Gross earnings of steam drifters ranged 

 from £400 to £520, of motor boats from £350 to £650, and of sail boats 

 from £215 to £420. 



The quality of the herrings was unsatisfactory, as practically every 

 catch contained a considerable proportion of thin, undeveloped fish, 

 while the proportion of small fish was also large. The principal fishing 

 grounds were from 18 to 40 miles E. by S. to S E. by S. from Stronsay, 

 and the herrings, therefore, were generally landed early in the day and 

 in good condition. Crown branded herrings were in demand, but the 

 proportion branded was surprisingly small, probably owing to the 

 difficulty in selecting. At 31st December no cured herrings remained 

 on hand in the district. Although fresh herrings were purchased at 

 reasonable figures, the prices received for the cured article left little or 

 no profit for curers. 



The line fisheries were carried on chiefly by the regular fishermen 

 and by crofter fishermen belonging to the South Isles. The decreased 

 catch may be attributed to stormy weather during winter and spring, 

 when fishing was frequently suspended for lengthy periods. The average 

 price received for line fish was 26s. 7|d. per cwt. against 28s. lOd. in 

 1920. The entire catch was consumed within the district, as were also 

 occasional small landings from wind-bound trawlers. 



Owing to lower prices in the southern markets the lobster fishery 

 yielded less remunerative results than in 1920, but nevertheless was 

 vigorously prosecuted by crofter fishermen, chiefly from April to October. 



During the year 19 boats of 9 to 17 feet of keel were constructed, 

 six for Orkney and the rest for the West Coast. The few coopers 

 belonging to the district were fortunate in finding almost constant 

 employment. 



As a result of satisfactory returns from crofting during recent years, 

 crofter fishermen, who form about seven-eighths of the district total, are 

 less dependent on the fisheries than in pre-war years. Very few are 

 now interested in the herring fishery, and the number participating in 



