48 Appendices to Thirty- seventh Annual Report 



drifters. During the most favourable months of the year they were very 

 successful, good takes of white fish being secured, for which very high 

 prices were realised. The results were most satisfactory, and much in 

 excess of the former year. 



James Kitchie, 



Fishery Officer. 



Fishery Office, 

 Peterhead, 6th January 1919. 



Fraserburgh District. 



The most remarkable features in connection with the fisheries of the 

 district were the high earnings of fishermen and the success of the summer 

 herring fishing, which as regards value was the best in the history of the 

 port, notwithstanding all the restrictions and the hmited areas in which 

 fishing was allowed There was also a great increase in the value of 

 fishing vessels and all kinds of fishing gear, more especially when com- 

 pared with the values which prevailed before the war. 



The high earnings of the fishermen are evidenced by the fact that almost 

 every dwelling-house which has been sold during the past two years has 

 become the property of fishermen, at a considerably enhanced value. 



The summer herring fishing began in the third week of May, when 

 48 vessels were employed, this number gradually increasing until the third 

 week of July, when 348 vessels were fishing from the port The fishing 

 was fairly successful, but would have been much more so if it had not 

 been for the restriction of the fishing areas and the insistence by the 

 Admiralty authorities on the Fraserburgh and Peterhead fleets fishing 

 as one fleet in the same restricted area, which was generally from 7 to 

 10 miles square. Fishermen complained throughout the season that 

 the area selected was too far south, especially when it was found that 

 fish were more plentiful in the northern part of the eastern area. The 

 fishing was again carried on under the permit system, and in similar 

 areas to the previous year. Early in the season, when the controlled 

 price was introduced, a scheme of rationing was adopted, whereby each 

 buyer got a portion of the catch in accordance with the number of his 

 employees. The catch of 125,272 crans realised £481,309. Compared 

 with the previous year, these figures show an increase of 3640 crans and 

 £216,829. The average price per cran for steamers was 82s. 9d., for 

 motor boats 78s. 9d., and for sail boats 63s. 9d. The latter were fre- 

 quently later in arriving, and consequently failed to secure the higher 

 prices which generally prevailed earlier in the day. The average price 

 for the season's catch was 76s. lOd. per cran. On Thursday, 13th June, 

 a strong gale from the N.W. sprang up suddenly after the fleet had shot 

 their nets, and a considerable loss of fishing gear was sustained, practically 

 every crew having their fishing gear more or less damaged. Fortunately 

 there was no loss of life, vessels, or fishing gear through enemy sub- 

 marines. Owing to the demand for fish in the home markets and the 

 restrictions on curing and exporting there was a larger number of freshing 

 and kippering firms engaged than in any former year. The quality was 

 good throughout the season, and there was a keen demand, especially 

 towards the end of the season, when, owing to the restrictions on fishing, 

 the catch fell off considerably. Fully 81,000 crans were despatched 

 from the district in a fresh or sprinkled condition, 30,468 crans were 

 kippered, 5646 crans were tinned, and 1380 crans were made into reds. 

 The Railway Company gave all possible facilities by providing a large 



