of the Fishery Board J or Scotland. 



xi 



is also issued to the Press for the information of those interested. 

 The Board have in view a considerable enlargement of the intelligence 

 branch of their work. 



Irish Crown Brand for Herrings. 



In the early part of the year a communication was received from 

 the Irish Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction 

 intimating that it had been decided to introduce a Crown Brand for 

 Irish- cured herrings on similar lines to that administered by the 

 Board, and asking the services of one of the Board's officials to assist 

 in organising the system. The Board were pleased to comply with the 

 request, and the Assistant Inspector of Fisheries was despatched to 

 Ireland for the purpose. The Irish Department subsequently 

 expressed their thanks to the Board for their valuable assistance in 

 the matter. 



Departmental Committees. 



In addition to the three Committees appointed by the Board to deal 

 with the question of approaching the Development Commissioners for 

 assistance in providing proper harbour accommodation for the Jarge 

 fleet of steam drifters now owned by fishermen along the East Coast, 

 the Board during the course of Ihe year appointed Committees to 

 inquire and report as to (1) the development of the inshore or minor 

 fisheries, (2) the method of fishing known as paidle-net fishing used in 

 the capture of white fish in the Solway Firth, (3) the adoption of a 

 superannuation scheme for the officers of the Fishery cruisers, (4) the 

 method of fishing known as flounder-net fishing which is permitted in 

 the Firths of Forth and Clyde, (5) the working of the Board's byelaw 

 regulating the Barra cockle fishery, and (6) the disposal of the fees 

 collected by them in applying the official brand to parcels of cured 

 herrings. 



MEANS OF CAPTURE. 



I. Fishing Boats and Vessels (other than Trawlers) 

 Propelled by Sails or Oars. 



The decline in the number and value of sail fishing boats, which 

 has been so marked a feature of the statistics in recent years, con- 

 tinued to be exhibited in 1911, and was accompanied by a corresponding 

 decrease in the quantity and value of all classes of fishing gear (except 

 unclassified types of nets — chiefly cod nets — which showed a substantial 

 increase in Buckie and Findhorn districts). All sections of the coast 

 were involved in the general movement, the main cause being, of 

 course, the continued replacement of sailing boats by steam and motor- 

 driven craft to meet the new conditions of the fishing industry. As 

 illustrating the extent of the decline, it may be stated that while the 

 number of sail fishing boats in 1901 was 10,774, in 1911 it had fallen 

 to 7776 — equivalent to an average annual decrease of about 300. 



