XXX 



Fourth Annual Report of the 



Increase iu A coiuparisou of the results of 1885 with the average of 



1885 on those of the prececlinty ten years, shows a laro^e increase in all 



average of pre- • ^ ' o 



ceding ten the items, VIZ. : — 

 years. 



Years. 



Barrels 

 Cured. 



Barrels 

 Branded. 



Barrels 

 Exported. 



Brand Fees. 



Average of ten years, ) 

 1875-1884, . S 



Year 1885, 



1,097,0671 

 l,572,952i 



474,4091 

 689,325 



745,596 

 1,128,589^ 



£7,906 16 6 

 11,488 15 0 



Increase in 1885, 



475,884^ 



214,915^ 



382,9931 



£3,581 18 6 



Importance of 

 Weather. 



Occasional 

 Fogs and 

 Calms. 



Two violent 

 Gales. 



WEATHER AND DISASTERS AT SEA. 



Nothing affects the regular prosecution of the fishing industry 

 more than the state of the weather. During 1885 the weather 

 was, upon the whole, fairly suitable for fishing, and it may be 

 regarded in this respect as having been equal to the average of 

 former seasons. There were occasional fogs and calms, but the 

 fishing was never interrupted, further than that the boats were 

 sometimes delayed in getting to and from the distant fishing 

 grounds. Fortunately, there were only two violent gales during 

 the season when the herring fishing was general. The more severe 

 one came on quite suddenly on the night of the 12th August, and 

 blew with greater or less violence over the whole East Coast till the 

 Loss of Life and 14th. It is deeply to be regretted that this storm caused serious 

 Property. ^^gg ^^^^i of life and property. Three large boats foundered at sea 

 off the coast of Abeideenshire, and their whole crews were drowned. 

 A number of other boats were wrecked or damaged; and the 

 quantity of netting which was lost or destroyed was so great that 

 fishing operations were much retarded, and indeed at some of the 

 stations they were crippled for the rest of the season. The other 

 gale took place in the second week of September, but, happily, it 

 was not attended with such disastrous consequences. A great 

 many nets, however, were either lost or damaged, but by this time 

 the fishing at most of the stations had closed for the season. 



It is the painful duty of the Board to record that, during the 

 year 1885, no fewer than 126 persons connected with the Scottish 

 Fisheries were drowned at sea — 82 on the East Coast, and 44 on 

 the West Coast. In the preceding year, the number of lives lost 

 was considerably smaller, having been altogether 73 on both coasts. 

 Further, in 1885, 51 boats, valued at £14,764, were totally wrecked, 

 and 112 sustained damage to the extent of £1247. The loss of 

 nets and other fishing material amounted to no less a sum than 

 Aniount of loss £43,814 — making a gross loss in the year of £59,825. This amount 

 is more than double that sustained by like casualties in the 

 preceding year. Detailed particulars of these disasters will be found 

 in Table V. Appendix D, to which reference is made ; and it may 

 be mentioned that this is only the second year during which such 

 information has been collected in Scotland. 



126 Peisons 

 drowned. 



Boats wrecked 

 and damaged. 



in Boats and 

 in Fishing 

 Material. 



