xliv 



Thirtieth Annual Report 



Curing on board of vessels on the West Coast lochs is still on the 

 decline, this result being largely due to the falling off in the catch and 

 to the better facilities provided for conveying fish to market. Last 

 year only ten vessels were fitted out, manned by 50 men, and they 

 cured and landed 2070 barrels, or 1000 less than in 1910. 



The estimated value of the whole of the herrings cured was 

 £2,390,982 (or £220,320 less than in 1910). (Appendix E, No. IV., 

 p. 145.) Of this, £400,923 referred to branded herrings. Prices did 

 not fluctuate to the same extent as in 1910, and the market was there- 

 fore more healthy. Towards the close of the year good prices pre- 

 vailed for the better-class herrings. 



The following table shows the amount realised for cured herrings 

 since 1898, and the average price per barrel obtained, viz. : — 



Year. 



East Coast. 



Orkney and 

 Shetland. 



West Coast. 



Total. 



Average Price 

 per Barrel. 



1898 



£905,447 



£236,043 



£240,656 



£1,382,146 



s. 

 15 



d. 

 4 



1899 



835.956 



507,512 



370,450 



1,713,918 



29 



2 



1900 



823,106 



542,099 



299.469 



1,664,674 



26 



7 



1901 



739,905 



686,965 



277,920 



1,704,790 



21 



3 



1902 



1,235,617 



577,531 



300,886 



2,114,034 



23 



5 



1903 



1,005,328 



510,023 



272,073 



1,787,424 



22 



1 



1904 



891,841 



689,439 



234,819 



1,816,099 



17 



7* 



1905 



939,684 



041,855 



• 247,875 



2,229,414 



21 



H 

 5f 



1906 



1,329,086 



1,985,670 



230,586 



2,545,342 



25 



1907 



1,641,934 



730,652 



257,091 



2,629,677 



20 



4f 



1908 



1,045,411 



736,952 



283,714 



2,066,077 



18 



9i 



1909 



1,358,802 



728,917 



281,336 



2,369,055 



25 



0| 



1910 



1,482,356 



864,023 



264,923 



2,611,302 



22 



5 



1911 



1,320,988 



827,960 



242,034 



2,390,982 



23 





The progress of the industry during the last 101 years may be 

 traced in Appendix D, No. II. 



II. Cured Herrings Exported. 



The export of cured herrings from Scotland annually is quite an 

 industry in itself, and affords employment directly and indirectly to 

 thousands of individuals. Of the total quantity cured, fully 80 per 

 cent, is sent out of the country, chiefly to Europe. For some years 

 past it has been found necessary to station the Board's General In- 

 spector on the Continent to watch the arrival of Scottish cured 

 herrings, and to report on any complaints made as to their condition. 

 Last year, owing to the large quantity of immature herrings which 

 was cured, and to the excessive heat prevailing during the summer, the 

 complaints were, as was to be expected, fairly numerous. The report 

 of the Inspector, which is full of interesting matter, has been published 

 separately. In it he lays special emphasis on the injury which may 

 be inflicted on the Scottish herring trade by the capture and cure of 

 immature fish, the use of too little salt, and the lack of proper storage 

 accommodation. 



The total export from Scotland last year was 1,508,122 barrels, or 

 259,422 barrels less than in 1910, a result due entirely to the shortage 

 in the catch. Of these, 261,895 barrels received the Board's Crown 



