of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



191 



the first in which trawling for herrings was made a speciality. During the 

 months of September and October about 5330 crans were landed by trawlers. 

 The quality was good, the average price being 18s. per cran. Owing to the 

 herrings being scaleless, none was cured for export. Curing for the 

 Continent began somewhat later than in 1910, but owing to the poor 

 quality, and the extreme heat experienced during the season, curers soon 

 realised that they had begun too early. These early herrings proved ruinous 

 to the curers, as hundreds of barrels became unfit for food and were sold for 

 manure, while thousands were sold at a loss. Berwick, which had a record 

 fishing, was the only station which exhibited an increase on the catch for 

 1910. The total catch from 1st May to 30th September was 174,189 crans, 

 as compared with 256,504 crans for the previous year, while the average 

 price per cran was 20s. Id., as against 17s. lOd. The shortage in the catch 

 was partly due to the smaller fleet operating, the highest number employed 

 at one time being 417, as against 552 in 1910. The weather was exception- 

 ally fine throughout, there being only one blank day. The principal fishing 

 grounds were from 7 to 20 miles off St. Abb's Head, and from 10 to 25 miles 

 off the Fame Islands. Of late years the latter fishing grounds have been very 

 much frequented by trawlers during the month of August, and fishermen 

 complain bitterly about damage to netting, and, also, that they are often 

 unable to shoot their nets on the grounds which they consider most suitable. 

 Evidently trawling has had an adverse effect on these grounds — at least 

 they are not so productive as they were some years ago. 



Besides the 51,615 barrels of cured herrings exported direct, 36,208 

 were sent coastwise, and 9551 by rail to Leith for exportation to the Continent ; 

 also 720 by rail to Glasgow for exportation to America. 



The haddock fishing, though light throughout, yielded better results than 

 in 1910. The offshore fishing proved unproductive, and the large boats 

 worked on the inshore grounds for the greater part of the time. Line-caught 

 fish exhibited an increase of 2757 cwts. on the catch for the previous year, 

 and of 1170 cwts. on the average for the last 10 years. Haddocks realised 

 from 4s. to 31s. per box, the average price being 18s. 5d. per cwt., as com- 

 pared with 2ls. 8d. in 1910. 



The value of the shell fisheries was ,£351 above that for 1910. The crab 

 fishing during the latter part of the year was very successful. 



As has been the case during the last three years, the principal employ- 

 ment of boatbuilders was the alterations in boats to be fitted up with motor 

 engines. Boatbuilding is at a standstill meantime. Coopers were fully 

 employed, and the prospect is fairly bright. 



Seven crews prosecuted the early herring fishing from Irish ports. The 

 average earnings were £328 per crew, as against £70 in 1910. Only two 

 crews prosecuted the English early herring fishing, as compared with 43 

 crews in 1908. At the English autumn fishing three sail boats averaged 

 £149, 32 motor boats £309, and 8 steam drifters £736 per crew, the general 

 average earnings being £377, as compared with £336 in 1910. Several 

 crews lost heavily in netting, the average loss being about £25 per boat. 



There were no casualties during the year. 



[Table 



