XXXV] 



Fourth Annual Report of the 



Barrels cured number of barrels cured in the district was 276,319, as against 

 Herrhts '^^^'^^^^ ^^^^S ^ decrease of 72,049 barrels. Upwards 



Ki^ppeilci and 12,000 crans of herrings were kippered during the season for the 

 Tinned. home trade, and 3570 crans were preserved in tins, chiefly for 

 exportation. 



Banff District. 



Boundary of 

 District. 



Number of 

 Boats. 



Average 

 Catch. 



Progress of 

 Fishing. 



Grounds 

 Fished. 



Large Takes 

 got In-shore. 



Barrels cured 

 in 1885 and 

 1884. 



Winter 

 Fishing, 



From Troup Head, inclusive, to Cullen, exclusive. 

 District Fishery Office — Macduff. 



In Banff district 107 boats were engaged in the fishing of 1885, 

 being 43 less than in 1884. Although the fishing was not so success- 

 ful as that of the previous year, it yielded a full average catch. It 

 began on 20th July — a week later than usual — and ended on 12th 

 September. The average fishing of each boat was 177 J crans; that 

 of 1884 was 210J crans. The highest aggregate catch of any one 

 boat for the season was 405 crans, and the lowest 40 crans. The 

 most successful weeks were those ending 25th July and 29th 

 August. The grounds chiefly fished lay from 20 to 30 miles at sea, 

 but the heaviest takes were got in-shore, from 2 to 6 miles from 

 land. At 2 miles from land individual takes of 60, 80, and up to 

 135 crans were landed, and altogether the in-shore grounds were 

 more productive than they had been for a number of years. Further 

 out than 40 miles at sea, scarcely any fish could be found. The quality 

 of the herrings was much better than those got in 1884, and the takes 

 contained a greater proportion of full fish. The gross quantity 

 cured in the season was 26,230 barrels, while that in 1884 was 

 40,787 barrels, showing a decrease of 14,557 barrels in 1885. 

 The winter herring fishing proved a complete failure in 1885, and 

 was only prosecuted for a short time. 



Moray Firth Districts, embracing- 



Boundary of 

 District. 



Buckie District. 



From Cullen to east side of Spey, both inclusive. 

 District Fishery Office — Buckie. 



Boundary of 

 District, 



FiNDHORN District. 



From west side of Spey to south side of Kessock Ferry, both inclusive. 

 District Fishery Office — Burghead. 



Boundary of 

 District. 



Cromarty District. 



From north side of Kessock Ferry to south side of Mickle Ferry, 

 both inclusive. 

 District Fishery Ofice — Cromarty. 



Boundary of 

 District. 



Aggregate 

 Fleet. 



Helmsdale District. 



From north side of Mickle Ferry to Dunbeath, both inclusive. 

 District Fishery Office — Helmsdale. 



The four districts in the Moray Firth, extending from Cullen to 

 Dunbeath, possessed an aggregate fleet hst year of 1286 first class 



