XXXVlll 



Fourth Annual Report of the 



Wick Distkict. 



Boundary ot 

 District. 



Fleet of 

 Boats. 



Average Catch 

 in IbSo and 

 18S4. 



Progress of 

 Fishing, and 

 Quality of 

 Herrings. 



Grounds 

 Fished. 

 In-shore 

 Grounds 

 most Pro- 

 ductive. 



Boats fished 

 48 Nights 

 diiring Season. 



Severe Gale 

 and its conse- 

 quences. 



Barrels cured. 



Winter Fish- 

 ing fairly 

 successful. 



Manure made 

 from Fish 

 Ofi"al and 

 inferior 

 Herrings. 



From East Clyth, exclusiye, to Cape Wrath, inclusive, including the 

 Island of Stroma in the Pentland Firth, 



District Fishery Office — TVicJc. 



In Wick district a fleet of 483 boats was employed in the 

 herring fishing of 1885, being a decrease of 60 boats from the 

 number in the previous year. The average catch per boat was 

 173 J crans, as against 190 crans in 1884. The fishing began on 1st 

 July, but was only prosecuted to a limited extent until the 20th of 

 that month, as any fish which were landed up to that time 

 consisted of small herriugs, for which there was very little 

 demand. Thereafter, till 5th August, the takes were of good 

 quality, more than one half of them being large, full fish; but 

 during the remainder of the season, which lasted till the end of 

 August, they were largely mixed with small herrings. The finest 

 herrings were captured at from 30 to 50 miles seaward ; but the 

 bulk of the season's catch was got on the iu-shore grounds, 3 to 10 

 miles from land. The highest individual take was 127J crans, and 

 takes varying from 80 to 112 crans were frequently landed. Five 

 nights were lost owing to stormy weather, and, in addition, fogs and 

 calms caused occasional interruptions to the fishing. Altogether, 

 however, the boats got to sea 48 nights of the regular season. 

 There was a severe gale on the night of the 12th August, by which 

 so great a loss in netting was sustained that many of the boats 

 were disabled for the rest of the season. Had it not been for this 

 casualty, it is believed that the catch would have been greater 

 than in 1884. As it was, the total number of barrels cured was 

 117,754, being only 9386 fewer than were cured in that very 

 abundant season. The winter herring fishing, which was pro- 

 secuted from 6th January till 14th March was fairly successful. 

 85 boats were engaged in it, and the gross catch amounted to 

 4379 crans, as against 2693 crans in 1884. These winter herrings, 

 which were valued at about £5000, were either sold in a fresh 

 state or made into bloaters. There are two establishments at Wick 

 for the manufacture of manure from fish offal and inferior herrings, 

 and they carried on a large business last season. 



Boundary of 

 District. 



Oekxey Disteict. . 

 The Orkney Islands ; and Swona in the Pentland Firth. 

 District Fishery Office — St Afargarefs Hope. 



Fleet of 260 

 Boats. 



Orkney district employed 260 boats in 1885, being 30 fewer 

 than in the preceding year. Of these, 102 fished at St Margaret's 

 Average Catch. Hope scction, and 158 at Stronsay section. The average catch for 

 the district was 154 crans per boat, as against 126 crans in 1884. 

 The fishing began with a few boats on the second week of July, 

 but it was not prosecuted with much vigour until the 20th of 

 that month, as the quality of the herrings landed before that date 

 was inferior, and there was little demand for them even at exceed- 

 Fishing poor ingly low prices. This early fishing closed with a catch of only 

 butabuMant 742 crans, as against 12,028 crans landed up to the same 



afterwards. 



