of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



233 



creeks. The average cost last year of these motors, including installation, 

 for a Clyde skiff, was £65. With the present system of easy payment in 

 vogue, it is a comparatively simple matter for industrious crews to acquire 

 motor power in their skiffs. 



A commencement was made at the summer herring fishing early in June, 

 and herrings were soon met with in the inshore waters off the east side of 

 Arran. From that time until the middle of September a fleet of nearly 200 

 skiffs, the majority of which were equipped with motors and seine-nets, 

 operated in that area with fair success. The shoals of herrings, however, 

 did not appear to be so numerous or dense as formerly, and consequently 

 the catches were generally more irregular than they were during any of the 

 five previous years when herrings were caught there under almost similar 

 conditions. Fourteen carrying steamers were in attendance on the fleet, and 

 they purchased at sea altogether 6060 crans, or 78 per cent, of the season's 

 catch, which were mainly conveyed to the Glasgow market, where they were 

 invariably sold at remunerative prices to the merchants. 



The quantity of herrings caught by seiners was 7271 crans, representing a 

 cash value of .£7252, while drifters captured only 481 crans, valued at .£529. 

 The total quantity and value of herrings credited to the district were 7752 

 crans and £7781, as contrasted with 14,211 crans and £16,647 for the year 

 1910. Generally the herrings, although not very large, were of good quality, 

 and were bought at an average price of 20s. a cian, as compared with 23s. 5d. 

 a cran for the previous year. No herrings of any consequence were got in 

 any other part of the district waters. 



The quantity of mackerel caught was the highest for many years. Par- 

 ticularly in Lochs Long and Goil, and off the east of Arran, were these fish 

 more plentiful than they have ever been. Their capture was, as usual, 

 carried on conjointly with the prosecution of the herring fishing. In Lochs 

 Long and Goil, however, mackerel fishing is now of much more importance 

 and benefit to the fishermen there than the herring fishing, which has been 

 a distinct failure for many years. The size and quality of the mackerel 

 were, as a rule, good, but as the price received by the fishermen averaged 

 for the year only 3s. 9d. a cwt., it would appear as if there is not much 

 demand for this class of fish, and the prospects for the further development 

 of this branch of the industry are, therefore, not in the meantime too bright. 



The white fish fisheries of the district are not of any particular importance. 

 During the winter and spring months great-line fishing was carried on from 

 Rothesay with moderate success by six crews, two of whom belonged to East 

 Coast ports. For a time some of these crews did well in Loch Long, where 

 they secured good takes of conger. On several occasions catches of from 

 15 to 38 cwts. of conger and skate were secured at one haul of the lines. 

 The larger boats fished chiefly in the waters in the vicinity of the Garroch 

 Head and Holy Isle, where, when the weather was suitable, they hauled 

 good catches of round fish. The fishermen consigned their own catches to 

 the English markets, where they usually got fairly good prices. The 

 difficulty in procuring a steady supply of herrings for bait was the chief 

 drawback the crews had to contend with. 



A lobster hatchery is, meantime, in course of construction at Ardmelish 

 Point, Port Bannatyne. Unfortunately, the hatchery received considerable 

 damage from storms in December, with the result that its opening will be 

 necessarily delayed. This project is to be floated by a private limited 

 company, and the idea of the promoters is to procure lobsters from the West 

 Coast of Scotland and bring them to the ponds for breeding and market 

 purposes. 



The district sheil-flsh fisheries are not of much note, and their value was 

 almost the same as that of 1910. 



Only one fishing boat was built in the district during the past year. This 

 branch of the industry seems to be getting worse yearly. 



