of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



87 



Increased attention was paid to the gathering of shell-fish, chiefly 

 winkles and cockles, and the fine weather during the spring and 

 summer allowed more time than usual to be spent at this work. 



One small sail boat was lost at Port Ellen and two Campbeltown 

 motor boats were sunk, one by collision and the other by striking a 

 submerged rock. Both the Campbeltown skiffs were raised and repaired 

 and are again engaged in fishing. 



It is understood that orders have been placed by a local fisherman 

 for a pair of boats of a different type from the usual Clyde skiff, and of 

 larger size, with a view to access to a wider market and to following the 

 herring fishing more closely in the various districts. Although the 

 fishing fleet is now numerically less than a year ago its catching power 

 is greater. 



Inveraray. — Although a number of small boats have been struck 

 off the register, there is an increase in the number of motor boats, and 

 therefore in the catching power of the fleet. The total landings for 

 the year are the highest since 1901, while the value is the highest 

 since 1892. 



The year opened with a very poor herring fishing in the Loch, but 

 a number of local boats did better in the mouth of the Kyles and 

 Kilbrannan Sound, where one pair had .£700 for a fortnight's work, and 

 the best fished pair grossed £800 for the month of January. 



During February most of the Loch Fyne fleet operated with the 

 Campbeltown crews in Kilbrannan Sound, and about six pairs worked 

 from Girvan and Stranraer, but the fleet returned home at the end of 

 the month, having failed in most cases to clear expenses. 



March was also a very slack month, and most of the fleet remained 

 ashore and had their annual overhaul in preparation for the summer 

 fishing. 



Little or nothing was done at herring fishing during April, but a few 

 small boats were working lines and cod nets with poor results. 



There was a slight improvement in May, and during June and July 

 a good fishing was secured on the grounds between Skipness Point and 

 Tarbert. The quality was good and prices ranged from 30s. 6d. to 

 106s. per cran. 



At this time six pairs of boats proceeded to the herring fishing on 

 the Canna grounds. They remained from two to five weeks and were 

 fairly successful, earning from £50 to £400 per pair. 



From then till the month of November the fleet was regularly in the 

 Loch, and it is remarkable that although they sailed through large 

 shoals of herrings nightly, as soon as the nets were put into the water 

 the herrings sank out of reach. Drift nets were also tried with similar 

 results. During this time the shoals never came inshore, but remained 

 in the middle of the Loch in deep water. 



In November, however, the shoals commenced moving up the Loch 

 and to shallower water, at first off Ardrishaig and in Kilfinan Bay, and 

 later further up in the vicinity of Otter, where very heavy catches were 

 secured ; but the heaviest fishing was secured at the beginning of 

 December when the shoals moved to the shallow banks off Lochgair. 

 Practically the whole of the Firth of Clyde fleet operated in the Loch 

 at this time, and shots of 200 to 250 crans were common, while one pair 

 "circled" about 500 crans. Out of this "ring" six boats were filled, 

 and then the remainder of the catch had to be released. Nets were 

 frequently burst by weight of fish. The oldest fishermen state that 

 they cannot remember such heavy shoals of herrings in Loch Fyne 

 before. 



