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Appendices to Thirtieth Annual Report 



£400 to £600. The harbour accommodation at Wick has been greatly 

 enlarged and improved within recent years. Fishermen and curers are 

 therefore being attracted to this long-established and most convenient fishmg 

 centre. The outer harbour in course of construction, and the ground to be 

 reclaimed for curing purposes, should further attract those in the industry. 

 Of the season's catch, 176,337 barrels were cured, chiefly for the Continental 

 markets. For fish of indifferent quality the sale returns varied greatly, 

 and some of the earliest placed on the markets did not realise sufficient to 

 pay the charges thereon. By the beginning of August there was a keen 

 demand on the spot for best Trade Marks and Crown Brands at the following 

 rates :— La. Full, 34s. to 36s. per barrel; Full, 32s. to 34s.; Mat. Full, 32s. to 

 33s. ; Matties, 26s. to 28s. ; and Spent, 20s. to 22s., being an advance of from 

 4s. to 7s. per barrel on the respective brands as at corresponding period in 

 1910. For the first time in the history of the port curers had to contend 

 with purchasers of fresh herrings for Hamburg. Several steamers were 

 chartered and 5200 crans were exported direct. With the exception of cod 

 net fishing, the various white fisheries of the district were prosecuted with 

 slightly better results than in 1910. The value of the shell fisheries, 

 chiefly lobsters, was practically the same as in 1910, viz., £4500, and varies 

 very little annually. 



All around the shores of the Moray Firth from Lybster to Cullen a small 

 portion of the resident fishermen, who do little or nothing at herring fishing, 

 met with more than ordinary success at small and hand line fishing. 

 Haddocks were more plentiful than usual, and at a number of the creeks 

 there was an increase of from 20 to 50 per cent, as compared with recent 

 years. A number of crews engaged in cod net fishing, chiefly from Lossie- 

 mouth, where this method of fishing was commenced a few years ago, with 

 excellent results. No dense shoals of cod appeared to have entered the Firth 

 during the spring months, or spawning season, and the results obtained 

 compare most unfavourably with those of the preceding year. In the 

 fishery districts of Lybster, Helmsdale, and Cromarty practically nothing 

 has been done at herring fishing for a number of years in succession. The 

 catch for the districts of Banff, Buckie, and Lossiemouth for the season was 

 26,277 crans, being an increase of 3214 crans as compared with 1910. 

 Herrings were more plentiful in the Firth than usual, the heaviest takes 

 being caught off Lossiemouth and landed at Wick. As in the preceding 

 year, the herring fishing was prosecuted with good success in the Inverness 

 and Beauly Firths during the last quarter of the year, 34,740 cwts. being 

 accounted for. Sprats were also fairly plentiful, but being much smaller 

 than usual, and largely mixed with herrings of about the same size, were of 

 less value than usual. 



In Stornoway district the various fisheries were less productive and 

 remunerative than in preceding years. Owing to the indifferent success 

 obtained at herring fishing for a number of years in succession, there has 

 been a gradual decrease in the number of East Coast craft engaged. There 

 has also been a large decrease in the number of district boats. A number 

 of these have been sold to the East Coast, while others have been struck off 

 the register as unserviceable. At herring fishing the best success was 

 obtained during the winter and early summer months. From the beginning 

 of June to the close of the year the district fishermen occasionally met with 

 fair success, the catch for the month of August being 6236 crans, valued at 

 £5256. Fair quantities of white fish were landed during the first quarter 

 of the year by East Coast craft, and thereafter by district fishermen. Most 

 of these consisted of cod, ling, and saithe, and although a small portion was 

 despatched to the Southern markets, the bulk was cured dried and used 

 locally. Haddocks w T ere fairly plentiful in certain parts of the district — 

 notably Broadbay. As usual, the majority of the district fishermen were 

 engaged on board East Coast craft as hired men from May to November. 



