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Thirty -seventh Annual Report 



larger vessels were able to work regularly in these exposed waters, 

 while fewer still were able to go as far as Faroe. Small haddocks 

 and codling predominated in the catches brought from the North 

 Sea, while large haddocks figured prominently in the landings from 

 < Shetland waters. 



Steam line fishing was prosecuted to better advantage than in 1917, 

 the contribution from this source amounting to 56,813 cwts., an in- 

 crease of 63 per cent. The bulk of the catch was taken on the West 

 Coast grounds and landed at Mallaig by a number of Aberdeen vessels 

 which worked from that port throughout the year, this fleet being 

 supplemented during the spring and summer months by a number of 

 Fraserburgh motor boats which worked from Oban. Towards the 

 close of the year these grounds were beginning to show signs of 

 depletion. 



Small liners accounted for nearly 450,000 cwts., or about 110,000 

 cwts. more than in 1917. Of this quantity 290,000 cwts. were taken 

 by motor boats — a circumstance which furnishes additional proof, if 

 any were needed, of the great advantage accruing from the possession 

 of boats which are not dependent upon the wind for propulsion, and 

 of the peculiar suitability of medium-sized motor-boats for this branch 

 of the fisheries, which they are rapidly making their own. 



The quantity of white fish taken by net was about 85,000 cwts., 

 the bulk of which consisted of cod, taken principally in the Moray Firth 

 in the spring. 



Ofcter trawling by means of motor-boats was again engaged in to a 

 limited extent on the East Coast, but their small size and liability to 

 engine break-down under the strain render them unsuitable for this 

 method of fishing, and their success was limited. 



White Fish Cueing. 



The curing of white fish was further curtailed during the year under 

 review, mainly owing to the keen demand for fresh fish. A proportion 

 of the trawled fish landed from the long-voyage trawlers is frequently, 

 however, unsuitable for the fresh market, and, consequently, upwards 

 of 38,000 cwts. of haddocks were smoked at Aberdeen. There is also 

 always a certain demand for smoked line-caught haddocks of the 

 best quality, irrespective of price, to meet which some 13,000 cwts. 

 were cured in addition. The quantities of white fish cured elsewhere 

 were negligible, being limited to small supplies landed at places where 

 no marketing facilities exist. 



The foregoing remarks apply only to fish landed by Scottish vessels 

 and do not cover cod, saithe, etc., imported in a wet-salted state from 

 Faroe and elsewhere, of which over 60,000 cwts. were cured dried 

 during the year. 



Persons Employed. 



The number of persons employed in the Scottish fishing industry 

 during 1918 was 37,624. Of these 15,416 manned the fishing fleet, 

 5568 were gutters and packers of herrings, 2383 were engaged in the 

 carrying trade, 2126 in boatbuilding, and the remainder in other forms 

 of employment connected with the fishing industry. 



