of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



185 



demand for the vessel built of wood still continues. Numerous orders have 

 again been placed with builders for this class of vessel all along the Moray- 

 Firth, while, in addition, a number of second-hand vessels belonging to 

 Yarmouth have since the close of the year been purchased for Fraserburgh 

 owners. 



During the year the coopers had almost constant employment. The 

 number of whole barrels constructed was 1,689,000, and of half barrels 

 682,065, being a decrease in the former case of close upon 11,000, but an 

 increase in the latter of 44,651, as compared with the previous year. 

 Although two years ago the output of half barrels showed a considerable 

 decrease, there appears to be a growing demand for packages of this size. 

 The quality of the wood used in the construction of barrels during the past 

 year has not been equalled in any previous season, a fact which reflects 

 credit on the Scottish trade. Unless the package is constructed of good 

 material, and with honest workmanship, the contents inevitably depreciate. 

 Owing to the short catch, and the large stocks of barrels left over, it looked 

 at one time as if employment for coopers for the current year would be 

 scarce, but owing to the enormous supplies which were drawn from 

 practically all the stations on the coast to meet the demand which set in 

 from the fishing centres in East Anglia, the prospects at the close of the 

 year were more promising. 



John Skinner, 

 General Inspector of Sea Fisheries. 



Fishery Board for Scotland, 

 Edinburgh, 15^ February 1912. 



Assistant Inspector of Sea Fisheries. 



The various fisheries in the Northern division of Scotland, from Oban 

 to Stornoway on the "West Coast, and from Buckie to Shetland on the 

 East Coast, were prosecuted with good average success during the year 1911. 

 The herring fishery continues to be by far the most important branch of the 

 industry. On the West Coast, more or less herrings were landed in each 

 month of the year, whereas on the East Coast the fishing was practically 

 confined to the summer months. For the West Coast districts under review, 

 the aggregate catch of herrings was 128,000 crans, valued at £124,000, as 

 compared with 679,685 crans, valued at £770,807, for the three more 

 important districts of Wick, Orkney, and Shetland. Herrings were more 

 plentiful in the Moray Firth during the summer months than usual, and in the 

 Inverness and Beauly Firths during the last quarter of the year. Haddocks 

 and codling were also more abundant in the Firth as compared with recent 

 years. The cod-net fishing, which was commenced in the Moray Firth a few 

 years ago with such marked success, was less productive than hitherto. 

 Throughout the greater part of the year most of the Moray Firth fishermen, 

 from Gardenstown to Nairn, were continuously engaged in the various 

 herring fishings in English, Scottish, and Irish waters. On the East Coast 

 and Shetland the results were only fair, but the fleet operating from Orkney 

 fished remarkably well. Nearly all met with more than ordinary success at 

 Grimsby, Yarmouth, and Lowestoft. A number of crews also fished well on the 

 East Coast of Ireland during the month of September, and on the North- West 

 Coast towards the close of the year. When the fishing closed on the East 

 Coast of England a number of steamers left for the West Coast. On the 

 passage down the English Channel nets were occasionally set and a few 

 heavy takes were secured. As in the preceding year, those vessels fished 

 from Fadstow and neighbourhood. Unfortunately, very stormy weather 

 prevailed throughout the season, and the fishing was in consequence a partial 

 failure as compared with the preceding two years. 



