of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



183 



The various fisheries on the West Coast from Stornoway to Loch Carron 

 were not prosecuted with any degree of success. The summer herring 

 fishing was practically a failure, and the results obtained from the winter 

 herring fishing were also unprofitable. The bulk of the catch landed 

 during the winter was secured on grounds in the vicinity of Skerryvore and 

 oft' the north coast of Ireland, the distance from Stornoway in the latter 

 case being 200 miles. The failure of the once prolific grounds in the Minch 

 and off the west coast of Lewis is not only a matter of concern to the local 

 fishermen, but to those from the East Coast. For the first time in the 

 history of the herring fishing on the West Coast, Oban was used as a 

 landing station for the curing and despatch of fish. The total dealt with 

 during the season was close upon 5000 crans, but, should the fishing in 

 that locality be unsuccessful, the same advantage will not be taken of a 

 market so remote from those fishing grounds. 



Mallaig as a fishing port still continues to grow in importance. During 

 the year upwards of 39,933 cwts. of white fish were landed, as compared 

 with 13,635 cwts. in 1906. Situated, as it is, in the very centre of many of 

 the sea lochs of the West Coast, and in the vicinity of grounds where 

 herring and white fish abound, the port with its railway facilities has many 

 advantages which, as is evident from the frequency with which they land 

 their catches there, the fishermen have not been slow to recognise. 



In the five Clyde fishery districts from Campbeltown to Ballantrae, the 

 landing of herrings showed an increase of 5431 crans as compared with 

 the figures of the previous year. The districts responsible for the increase 

 were Campbeltown and Ballantrae. After the improvement in the herring 

 fishing last year in Lochfyne, it was hoped that a favourable turn had 

 taken place, but the catch obtained shows a decrease of about 50 per cent, 

 as compared with the returns of 1910. Occasionally the herrings appeared 

 to be fairly plentiful in the loch, but the shoals kept to deep water, where 

 operations with the seine net were generally unsuccessful. The herring 

 fishing in the Campbeltown district was the most successful for several 

 years back, the returns showing an increase of 11,560 crans. The shoals 

 were struck early in January, but during the first half of the year light 

 catches were the rule. In May and J une a decided improvement set in, 

 and up to the end of July the fishing continued to be fairly successful. 

 During the latter part of the year stormy weather suspended fishing 

 operations. Good earnings were made by the district crews working on the 

 Ayrshire coast. The progress which is being made with the motor craft 

 continues to attract the attention of fishermen who have not yet had it 

 installed. During the season eight boats were fitted with the installation, 

 and a number of other crews are arranging for its purchase. The fishermen 

 owning sail boats have come to see that without motor propulsion they are 

 unable to compete with their neighbours. 



Compared with the returns of the previous year, the herring fishing in 

 the Rothesay district shows a decrease of several thousand crans, while in 

 Ballantrae and Greenock districts there has been a marked improvement. 

 Notwithstanding the opening of the Ballantrae Bank, which was closed to 

 seine net fishing by the Board's Byelaw in 1902, practically no herrings 

 were secured thereon. Stormy weather prevailed during the whole of the 

 period when good results were anticipated. 



The mobility of the steam drifter may be gauged from the fact that two 

 of these vessels fishing off the north coast of Ireland in January landed in 

 Glasgow catches of 137 and 104 crans respectively, which realised from 

 40s. to 55s. per cran. Two steam trawlers engaged in herring fishing off 

 the mouth of the Bristol Channel in September also landed at the same 

 market 240 and 100 crans respectively, which realised from 16s. to 20s. 

 per cran. 



In none of the districts of the Clyde was the quality up to the standard 



