of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



11 



profitable season. For the first four months of the year the returns for 

 the whole district showed a total of 7069 cwts., valued at £15,543, as 

 compared with 13,893 cwts. valued at £21,227 in 1917. 



Anchored net fishing for codlings and flounders, which is carried on 

 mostly by Newhaven and Fisherrow fishermen, was generally unre- 

 munerative. 



Seine net fishing for plaice, etc., was carried on for nine months of 

 the year by some of the Cockenzie fishermen, who used their motor yawls. 

 In the spring, when flat fish were scarce, considerable quantities of cat- 

 fish were caught by the seine net, and fishermen thus earned sufficient 

 to encourage them to continue working it. Through the summer and 

 autumn the supply of plaice and other flat fish kept up better than might 

 have been expected, considering the limited area that was available 

 and the number of boats that were working. The high prices received 

 for all kinds of fish were, however, the main inducement. For the months 

 April to October inclusive, from 10 to 12 motor yawls worked the seine 

 net regularly ; and 5 or 6 crews continued fishing in November and 

 December. For 1471 arrivals their gross earnings amounted to £21,769, 

 of which plaice contributed £17,030. For 1917 the total value of seine- 

 caught fish was £5600. 



The shell-fisheries yielded over £1000 more than in 1917, the increase 

 being principally in lobsters and mussels. There was a keen demand 

 for mussels for bait ; and in the autumn and early winter the Newhaven 

 fishermen were profitably employed in dredging mussels. 



Cockenzie and Fisherrow crews who took part in the herring fishing 

 at other ports had, almost without exception, most profitable voyages. 



Through accidents of war 2 lives were lost ; and also 3 local trawlers, 

 one of which was fishing, and the others engaged in Admiralty service. 

 The loss of trawl gear was exceptionally heavy, owing to the number of 

 sunken wrecks encountered in the North Sea. 



Only one new fishing boat, a large motor yawl, was built in the district. 

 Six trawlers were built — all for Admiralty service. 



Barrel-making was confined to one local factory, and the output was 

 not large. 



Over 9000 herring basket measures were made and branded in the 

 district, an increase of more than 2000 over the figures for 1917. 



R. Duthie, 



Fishery Officer. 



Fishery Office, 



Leith, 25^ January 1919. 



Anstruiher District. 



The only branch of the fisheries which was successfully prosecuted 

 in this district last year was cod net fishing, and, as usual, it was only 

 engaged in during the first four months of the year. 



The results of the winter herring fishing were very poor, owing almost 

 entirely to the continuance of the Admiralty restrictions. The season's 

 catch only totalled 1975 crans, valued at £17,877, as against 5659 crans 

 and £28,934 in 1917, which was also an unproductive year. 



When compared with the returns for the previous year the total 

 quantity of white fish landed in the district in 1918 shows a shortage 

 of 10,447 cwts., but the value an increase of £31,613. 



Seventeen motor boats were added to the fleet during the past year, 

 e 



