Fishery Board for Scotland. 



XXXlll 



fishing, being 33 less than in 1884. A few boats began to tish 



early in July, but they met with little success until the 20th of that Progress of 



month, when the regular fishing commenced. The most successful Wishing, 



weeks were those ending 15th, 22nd, and 29th August, and 5th Best weeks. 



September. The fishing was brought to a close by stormy 



weather on 12th September, and resulted in an average catch of Average c.iteh . 



148 J crans per boat. In the previous year, the average was 184 J 



crans. The fishing grounds extended from 5 to 70 miles seaward; 



but the most productive fishing was got from 15 to 30 miles off- Most produc- 



shore, where individual takes of 86, 90, and 96 crans were landed. ^^^"^ (^^ounds. 



At the various stations, the average catches per boat for the season Averages at 



were — Arbroath, 230 crans ; Montrose, 130 crans ; Johnshaven, stations. 



118 crans; and Gourdon, 171 crans. The quality of the herrings Quality very 



was very poor — the great bulk of them consisting of soft, small, 



and spent fish. The winter and spring herring fishing of the Winter Fishing 



district was most unsuccessful, and only produced 265 crans, as ^^^successfui. 



against 2387 crans in the previous year. 



Stonehaven District. 



From Bervie, exclusive, to Skateraw, inclusive. Boundary of 



District. 



District Fishery Office — Stonehaven. 



In the district of Stonehaven, 91 boats were employed in the Number of 

 season of 1885, of which 80 belonged to Scotland and the others to 

 Cornwall, being 10 fewer than in the preceding year. The fishing 

 began on 13th July, and continued till 2nd September, when it was 

 ended by stormy weather. The average catch of the fleet was 181 Average Catch 

 crans per boat, as against 139 in 1884. The week ending 29th 

 August yielded the best fishing of the season, during which each boat Particulars of 

 averaged 59 J crans. Exceptionally heavy takes were landed on the Fishing. 

 27th, 28th, and 29th August, when the boats averaged 25, 35, and 

 42 crans respectively. The herrings were generally of a small size Quality of 

 and of inferior quality during the greater part of the season, being Hemngs. 

 soft and tender. Some of the takes landed in August — particularly 

 on the 29th of that month — consisted of fish of good quality, and 

 of a large size. The fishing grounds extended from 3 to 70 miles Grounds 

 seaward, but the largest takes were got from 20 to 35 miles off- Wished, 

 shore. The weather was marked by the prevalence of prolonged Weather, 

 calms, occasional fogs, and three violent gales. Five fishermen Five Fisher- 

 were unfortunately drowned in this district when prosecuting their men drowned, 

 calling during 1885. The winter herring fishing was almost a Winter 

 failure — only 200 crans having been caught. The number taken ^^^^"^s- 

 in 1884 was 600 crans. 



Aberdeen District. 



From Skateraw, exclusive, to Aberdeen, inclusive. Boundary of 



District. 



Disrict Fishery Office — Aberdeen. 

 Aberdeen district had a fishing fleet of 378 sail in 1885, com- Scottish, 

 prising 301 Scottish boats, 74 English, and 3 Irish, as against S^Boatf 

 341 Scottish and 33 English in 1884, being a gross increase 

 of 4 boats. The industry was begun in July, and closed early in 



