of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



81 



Swedish motor vessels also visited Lerwick to buy mackerel to cure on 

 board, but they arrived too late to secure more than a small quantity. 



Ninteen District crews, being a larger number than ever before, took 

 part in the East Anglian fishing, but unfortunately most incurred rather 

 serious losses. 



The Burra Isle fishermen, with their fine fleet of motor boats, 

 prosecuted line fishing vigorously during the spring and winter months. 

 The produce was all sent to Aberdeen gutted and iced. At the close 

 of the year catches of 20 to 40 cwts. were frequent, and prices were 

 remunerative in contrast to those obtaining in the spring, when fishing 

 had to be abandoned owing to meagre returns. Lerwick, Whalsay, and 

 Skerries crews also landed considerable quantities of haddocks, the 

 greater part of which was despatched to Aberdeen. Freights both for 

 ice received and fish despatched were a heavy charge on proceeds, and to 

 save on these Whalsay haddocks were mostly sent smoked. 



A gloom was cast over the fishing community of Lerwick on the last 

 days of the year by the drowning of two promising young fishermen, 

 who were lost with a motor boat which they were bringing home after 

 repair. Two Burra Isle motor boats dragged their anchors during a 

 hurricane in December and sustained damage on the beach. 



Stornoway. — Throughout the year the fishing industry of Storno- 

 way district was more or less acutely depressed, chiefly through the 

 failure of both the local winter and summer herring fishings. The 

 earnings of the hired men at other centres were almost negligible, 

 while those of the female fish workers were about half those of previous 

 years. The situation was aggravated by the discharge of considerable 

 numbers of men, formerly dependent on fishing, who had for a year or 

 two found employment in connection with Lord Leverhulme's schemes. 



Owing to the scarcity of herrings and fluctuating prices the winter 

 herring fishing was of short duration, and few crews were fortunate 

 enough to clear expenses. The best catches were generally obtained 

 near Bulgie Island, off the Sutherlandshire coast, but the shoals were 

 isolated and difficult to locate. The quality of the herrings was seldom 

 satisfactory, and most catches contained an unusually large proportion 

 of very small, undeveloped fish. During the season the sending of 

 sprinkled herrings and mackerel to Germany was inaugurated by a 

 Lowestoft firm, who despatched three cargoes amounting to 1268 crans 

 of herrings and 166 crans of mackerel. It was unfortunate that the first 

 attempt to send sprinkled herrings from this district to the Continent 

 should have coincided with such a poor season, when supplies were 

 difficult to obtain at a moderate price. 



Early in May, after the Railway Companies undertook to facilitate 

 consignments, preparations were made for herring fishing, and a local 

 carrier was chartered to convey kippers to Kyle. Owing to the coal 

 scarcity no stranger steam drifters arrived until the second week of 

 July, but the locally-owned boats operated with little interruption, 

 notwithstanding that their fuel allowance was far below normal require- 

 ments. The fleet was augmented towards the end of May by motor and 

 sail boats from East Coast ports. Kippering firms instituted a system of 

 rationing, paying 50s. and latterly 70s. per cran. Ordinary competition 

 was restored when the curers entered the field, but the herring fishing 

 had then commenced on the East Coast and kippering was abandoned 

 here. The rationing system undoubtedly saved the kippering firms 

 from incurring considerable losses. From July onwards, owing to the 

 poor demand, " mixed " herrings were selected into two classes by the 

 fishermen, and the better selection frequently fetched up to 90s., while 



F 



