of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



235 



Five Saltcoats fishing skiffs followed lobster fishing along the coast, where 

 they were fairly successful, their catches ranging up to 72 lobsters. The 

 greatest number caught in one week by one boat was 330. They were sent 

 to Glasgow and the English markets, where they realised fair prices. 



Four Glasgow-owned steam trawlers and five liners occasionally landed 

 their catches at Glasgow during the summer months, the fish being 

 principally cod, ling, halibut, and skate. The fishing ground was chiefly on 

 the West Coast of Scotland, and the value of the best shot landed by the 

 steam trawlers was .£50, and by the liners £1 20. 



Fair quantities of mussels were as usual sent from the Port-Glasgow beds 

 to various East Coast stations for use as bait, but during two or three 

 months in summer the demand for them almost ceased. Quantities of other 

 kinds of shell-fish, mostly whelks, were also occasionally sent to the 

 English markets. 



In the Glasgow fish-market there were the usual regular supplies of all 

 the various kinds of fresh, smoked, and cured fish daily, which came from 

 places in the Firth of Forth, the East and West Coasts of Scotland, and 

 from England and Ireland. Prices varied for the fish according to the 

 supply and demand. Many lots were of small size. There would be an 

 average of about 5000 boxes of all kinds sold daily. 



Fair quantities of mackerel from the West Coast were almost daily in the 

 market in the summer months ; they were usually of larger size and better 

 quality than in former years, but owing to the poor demand for them 

 locally, quantities were sent off to England. During November and 

 December fresh herrings were unusually scarce in the market, and supplies 

 were occasionally brought from Lowestoft for kippering. Early in 

 December some cases of Norwegian herrings began to arrive, which were 

 mostly bought for kippering, but they did not sell well as kippers, being 

 large and of coarse quality. 



Dried fish realised from about 24s. to 28s. for cod, ling 28s. to 32s., 

 tusk 25s., and saithe 14s. to 16s. per cwt., and cured herrings from 20s. to 

 40s. a barrel. A good many barrels of herrings and cwts. of dried fish 

 were retailed by the shopkeepers in Glasgow. 



In addition to the Scottish herrings shipped to America were 18,633 

 barrels from Ireland; 126,031 cases of preserved fish were exported, 

 principally to New York. These cases came chiefly from Aberdeen, and 

 weighed about 1 cwt. each ; 3974 cases also went to Australia. The 

 exports of dried fish went chiefly to Ireland, America, Canada, and Spain. 

 Quantities of the fish came to Glasgow from various places on the West 

 Coast of Scotland and Ireland in a wet, half-cured state, and were there 

 properly cured and dried. Many lots of dried fish also came from Hull and 

 other ports in England. 



Barrel-making was carried on in only three Glasgow cooperages, the fish- 

 curers having bought most of their supplies of new barrels from other 

 places ; 14,500 fish boxes were made in two Glasgow factories. 



The St. Mungo Steam Fishing Company's drifter earned about .£800 at 

 the Scottish herring fishing, and .£1000 at Great Yarmouth. 



There were built at Govan one steam trawler which cost £5900, and 

 eight steam drifters, five at =£3400 each, and three at £3320 each. Four 

 second-hand steam trawlers were purchased in December by a Glasgow firm. 

 One steam trawler and a buying steamer were also sold by another firm 

 during the year. 



Fishery Office, 

 Glasgow, 8th January 1912. 



E. Gray, 



Fishery Officer. 



