Fishery Board for Scotland. 



xiii 



improving the condition of the people ; and in no way does this 

 more forcibly appear than by the small open boats which formerly 

 belonged to the native fishermen being all bub superseded by the 

 large and fully equipped decked boats which they now possess. 



With regard to the branding of herrings, it is of importance to Number of 

 state that, although the quantity of cured herrings exported in 1885 ^J^nded 

 was less by 56,631 barrels than in 1884, the number of barrels greatest on 

 branded last year, nearly the whole of which were sent abroad, ^^^o"^^^- 

 was not only greater than in 1884, but exceeded the number 

 branded in any former year whatever. The actual number so 

 dealt with in 1885 was 689,325. The fee charged for brand- 

 ing is 4d. a barrel; so that the total amount received by the 

 Board for this service last year was £11,488, 15s. As the taking Proof of 

 of the brand is entirely optional on the part of curers, this increased ggtJ^fatJJ" in 

 demand for branded herrings is most gratifying to the Board, as which brand is 

 showing the growing estimation in which the standard of cure 

 required by them is held. 



The gross quantity of the other sea fish landed and sold fresh in other sea fish 

 1885 was very large, and exceeded in value the abundant catch of J^^^h/^^^^^^ 

 1884 by £21,529. The fish especially which were taken in in- previous year, 

 creased quantities were cod, ling, haddocks, whitings, and flat 

 fish; and the gross weight of the whole catch in 1885 was 

 1,725,459 cwts., as against 1,494,042 cwts. in 1884. Of shell-fish, 

 there was an increase in the quantity of lobsters taken in 1885, as 

 against 1884, and a decrease in oysters, mussels, and crabs ; but 

 the value of all the shell-fish taken in 1885 was greater than in the 

 preceding year by £8254. Thus the gross value of white fish taken increased value 

 and sold fresh in 1885, and of shell-fish, exceeded that of 1884 by t^^^reof. 

 £29,783. 



During the fishing season of 1885, more than 3000 boxes of Salmon 

 salmon in excess of 1884 were sent to London. But this was not ^'isheries more 

 equal to the exceptionally good year of 1883, whicjh is the i885^han^in" 

 best that has occurred — taking the number of boxes of Scotch i^*- 

 salmon sent to Billingsgate as a criterion — for the last 50 years, 

 with the exception of 1835 and 1842. The number of boxes sent 

 to London in these three years was, in 1883, 35,506 ; in 1884, 

 27,219 ; and in 1885, 30,362. 



The closing weeks of the fishing season of 1885 were very dry Particulars of 

 on the East Coast, and the takes of salmon at the rivers' mouths, g^^j^^^^^^ 

 especially in the mouth of the Tay, were unusually large. At 

 the three stations of Neilston, Monifieth, and Buddon, three tons 

 of salmon, grilse, and trout were taken in the nets in four days ; 

 and in six days of the same month of August no fewer than 

 10,000 salmon and grilse were stated to have been caught at the 

 fishings on the Forth and Tay, rented by Mr A. G. Anderson. 



In a subsequent part of the Eeport it will be seen that the esti- Gross value of 

 mated value of the herrings which were cured last year was S?^^^^^'^ 

 £1,572,952, 5s., and of those which were sold fresh £122,034, 

 making together £1,694,986, 5s. ; that the estimated value of 

 other white fish was £751,792, 10s. ; of shell fish, £89,193 ; and of 

 salmon, £323,851 ; the gross total estimated value of the sea and 

 salmon fisheries of Scotland for the year 1885 thus being 

 £2,859,822, 15s. 



