Fishery- Board for ScotlaTid. 



xxxix 



day of the previous year. After the 20th of July, a large regular 



fishing, which continued for about three weeks, was made on 



the in-shore grounds, from 1 to 6 miles off the Island of Copin- gj.^^^^^^^^^ 



shay. These grounds contained large shoals of excellent herrings, in.shore. 



two-thirds of which were full fish, and they yielded the best 



fishing during the season. In the Stronsay section the boats 



generally went to the off-shore grounds, at a distance of from 10 



to 40 miles seaward. They had fairly good success, but the 



takes landed were frequently of inferior quality, containing a 



large proportion of maties and spent fish. On 15th August Boats^averaged 



the boats at St Margaret's Hope section got the high average of 51 15th August. 



crans each. After the middle of that month the fishing became 



light, and it finally closed on 2nd September. The gross catch Gross Catch 



was the highest ever reached in the district, and the quantity of reached in 



barrels cured was 53,300, as against 48,824 barrels in 1884. District. 



Shetland District. 



Comprising the Shetland Isles, and Fair Isle and Foula Island. Boundary of 



District Fishery Office— Lerwick District. 



Shetland district in 1885 yielded a much larger herring fishing Fishing larger 

 than it did even in the unprecedentedly abundant year of 1884, p^g^ious year 

 although the fleet of boats engaged was 107 fewer than in that although fewer 

 season. The number of boats in 1885 was 825, as against 932 in engaged. 

 1884. Of this fleet, 394 boats, including 45 small six-oared boats, Boa't^and^ 

 belonged to the district, and the remainder came from other places to 

 districts on the East Coast, from the Isle of Man, and from ^^^on^ td^ 

 Ireland. The average catch of the whole fleet was 280 crans per Average and 

 boat, making an aggregate catch of 231,000 crans, thus exceeding aggregate 

 the great fishing of the preceding year by 57 crans in the average whoie^Fieet. 

 per boat, and 23,000 crans in the gross total. There are 114 

 curing establishments in the district, which were occupied during the curing 

 season by 74 curers, and no less than 12,000 persons were employed Premises, 

 in connection with the industry. The early fishing opened on the empioyed^*^^^ 

 20th of June on the west, or Atlantic side of the Islands, which 

 was three weeks later than in the preceding year, and it closed Particulars 

 about the middle of July. The estimated catch was 110,000 ^^-^j^^^^^^'^y 

 crans, being 21,000 crans more than the produce of the early 

 fishing of 1884. About the end of July, all the boats went Late Fishing, 

 round to the East Coast or North Sea side of Shetland, when the 

 late fishing commenced, and was carried on with great energy 

 till 12th September. At Balta Sound daily average takes. Great Takes 

 ranging from 20 to 35 crans a boat, were landed 5 and at Cullivoe so^^(j^and 

 from 30 to 40 crans. Individual boats frequently got takes oi Cullivoe. 

 from 80 to 100 crans ; and a boat at Balta Sound landed the 

 unprecedentedly large take of 160 crans. The curers were unable 

 satisfactorily to deal with such great fishings ; and they requested 

 the fishermen to remain on shore for a few days, which they un- 

 willingly agreed to do. But notwithstanding this, more herrings More Herrings 

 were landed at Balta Sound than could possibly be cured, and i^^^^^ed than 



1 . • ■ ^ 1 ^ IIP 1- , could be 



large quantities had to be sold for manure or thrown into the sea, Cmed. 

 Many of the boats got each an aggregate catch in the season Aggi-egate 

 of from 400 to 500 crans, and a few of them as many as 600 crans. 



