xii 



Fourth Anmial Report of the 



of small herrings, which the curers were often unable to dispose 

 of at almost any price. Notwithstanding this unfortunate result, 

 agreements were entered into for the catch of last year on terms 

 somewhat similar to those made in 1884, with the exception that the 

 Curers sus- bounties to be paid were smaller. But the herring fishing of 1885, 

 losse^inTwo ^®^^o ^ "^®^y l^rge one, and the markets being again greatly over- 

 successive stocked with cured herrings, prices continued very low, and a second 

 years. time heavy losses were sustained by the curers. The history of this 



industry shows that successive years of prosperity have once and 

 again been followed by one of an opposite character ; but it does 

 not appear that any past year ever proved so disastrous to those 

 engaged in the trade as either of the last two ; and it is certain 

 that no two years, from which flowed such unfortunate results. 

 Anticipated ©ver came together before. It is much to be feared that this im- 

 as^cf Cui?r^ portant branch of the fishing industry will greatly suffer for a con- 

 industry.^^^ siderable time to come, owing to a number of the curers not having 



sufficient capital left for its efficient prosecution. 

 Abundant On the other hand, the herring fishery of these last two years 



supply and provided an abundant supply of wholesome and nutritious food, 

 H^rrngTaboon which was sold at a very low price, and thus a great boon was 

 to community, conferred on the community, especially on the poorer classes. This 

 boon would have been much greater, had better means existed than 

 were available for getting the fish rapidly and cheaply conveyed to 

 towns throughout the country, particularly those which are inland 

 and have a large population. And with reference to this, it is greatly 

 to be regretted that large quantities of small herrings, which would 

 have made excellent food if used either fresh or lightly salted, but 

 which it was not profitable to cure, had, throughout the season, to 

 be sold for m^anure, because no better means of disposing of them 

 could be found. Indeed, it often happened that whole boat loads 

 of them were thrown back into the sea. 

 Herrings A Very striking feature of the summer herring fishery of 1885 



returned to^in- ^as that many in-shore grounds, where herrings were found in great 

 s oregroun s. g^j^^jjj^nce in previous years, but which they had recently all 

 but deserted, were restored to their former fertility. Speaking gene- 

 rally, these grounds lie from 1 to 8 miles from land in the districts of 

 Eyemouth, Peterhead, Banff, Buckie, Findhorn, Cromarty, Helms- 

 dale, Lybster, Wick, and Orkney ; and it was in them, and in the 

 Shetland district, where the best fishing of the season was got. 

 Further, it is worthy of note that, at the close of the year, the 

 in-shore grounds from Anstrather to Wick teemed with excellent 

 herrings to a much greater extent than had ever been known before. 

 Increasing The extraordinary increase of the herring fishery in the Shetland 

 productweness district in recent years has been fully adverted to in the Board's 

 Fishery^m former Reports. The produce of last year's fishing was even greater 

 Shetland. than that of 1884, which was the largest ever recorded, and tlie 

 herrings taken were of finer quality than those got on the other parts 

 of the East Coast. Altogether, Shetland now takes rank as the 

 most important herring fishery district in the country. Last year 

 it yielded 370,238 barrels of cured herrings, as against 300,117 in 

 1884 ; while the number cured so recently as in 1874 was only 

 1100 barrels. It is gratifying to add that the great development 

 of the herring fishery in Shetland has had a marked effect in 



