of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



vii 



whole directed their energies into new channels, and of the efforts 

 made by the officials of the various railway companies to overcome 

 the transport difficulties. 



Herring Curing. 



The quantity cured gutted during the course of the year may be 

 regarded as the surplus remaining after meeting the effective demand 

 for fresh and kippered herrings. By the close of the S tor no way 

 winter fishing a large stock had accumulated, and, as licences to 

 export were not being granted, there appeared a possibility that 

 curers might not carry on their operations during the summer. As 

 any cessation of such operations would have had a serious effect on 

 the fishing as a whole, the Cured Fish Committee, appointed by the 

 Food Controller in May to acquire, control and distribute stocks 

 of cured fish, and of which the Board's Secretary was a member, 

 formulated a scheme for the export of half of the winter cure and 

 for the taking over by the Government, at certain specified prices, 

 of the balance of the winter cure and of the whole summer cure. 

 The scheme was accepted by the trade, and resulted in a substantial 

 reserve of cured herrings being formed. 



The total export during the year was 77,648 barrels, of which 

 52,041 were despatched to Kussia via Archangel, and 16,109 to the 

 United States of America. 



The exports to the principal markets abroad since 1908 have 

 been as follows : — 



Year. To Germany.* To Russia. To America. 





Barrels. 



Barrels. 



Barrels. 



1908 



. 1,001,645 



616,497 



74,175 



1909 



786,682 



574,307 



69,074 



1910 



982,361 



732,345 



73,409 



1911 



794,219 



655,814 



75,005 



1912 



719,013 



750,187 



93,471 



1913 



672,701 



619,680 



104,045 



1914 



353,323 



493,039 



115,347 



1915 





51,143 



45,385 



1916 





285,365 



46,281 



1917 





52,041 



16,109 



* From 40 to 50 per cent, of the total quantity of herrings exported to Germany was, 

 in normal circumstances, sent over the frontier to Russia and other Eastern countries. 



Pickled herrings have not in recent years been a common article 

 of diet with the population of the United Kingdom, but the general 

 food situation and the propaganda carried on by the Government 

 Departments concerned, trade associations and private traders 

 appear to have resulted in a substantial increase in the home 

 consumption of this wholesome and nutritious article of food. 

 Including the quantity on hand at the beginning of the year, the 

 total stock of Scottish cured herrings in 1917 was 228,073 barrels ; 

 of this 77,648 barrels were exported, and 84,663 barrels remained in 

 stock at the curing ports at 31st December last, and the balance had 

 been distributed for consumption in the home markets. Part of this 

 home consumption represented supplies to prisoners of war, but 



