70 



Appendices to Thirty-seventh Annual Report 



Fort- William District. 



The principal returns of the fisheries of Fort-William district show a 

 year of unprecedented development. The various branches were actively 

 engaged in, but the chief feature is the success of the drift net and great- 

 line fishings. Results show an aggregate catch of 533,381 cwts. valued 

 at £920,246 exclusive of shell-fish, an increase of 140,540 cwts. valued 

 at £489,238 over the preceding year, which was a record one. Shell-fish, 

 however, show a decrease of £332. 



The Means of Capture Eeturns differ little from those of the previous 

 year, the number of boats being only 2 less, while the amount of netting 

 and other gear remains practically the same. There was no change in 

 the method of fishing. One steam yacht was converted into a fishing 

 craft and fitted out for great line fishing, while the motor fleet shows 

 an increase of 2 boats of the smaller class. 



The winter herring fishing commenced about the first of January, 

 and was carried on from start to finish with marked success both from 

 Mallaig and Oban. The fishing grounds operated on were from Loch 

 Inchard to Rhu Re, and Coll Bank. Heavy shots ranging from 60 to 

 240 crans were the rule, the best results being obtained on the former 

 grounds. The fleet reached its maximum strength about the end of 

 February, when 55 steam drifters and about 90 motor boats participated. 

 As much as £1575 was realised for a shot of 116 crans, while shots which 

 realised from £400 to £800 were common. 



Both steam drifters and motor boats shared equally in the high 

 earnings. One motor boat made £7900, while the least successful boats 

 earned £2000. Prices throughout the season, notwithstanding the heavy 

 fishing, invariably ruled high, ranging from £3 to as high as £14 10s. per 

 cran, and only when congestion occurred on the railways through the 

 heavy traffic did the price fall to 20s. per cran. 



The season closed about the end of March, with a total of 89,136 

 crans valued at £492,752. 



After a short suspension of fishing for the purpose of repairing and 

 refitting boats, the early summer herring fishing was commenced in April 

 by a few craft. 



A fleet numbering 69 steam drifters, 133 motor boats, and 10 sailers 

 was again at work by the first week of May, operating from Mallaig and 

 Oban. The fishing grounds were from Tiree to Canna and off Muldoanich. 



The herring fishing at this period, unlike the winter season, is as a rule 

 of a partial character, and fishermen with a long experience of the West 

 Coast are usually the most successful. 



The fishing turned out fair, and resulted in a total of 31,629 crans, 

 valued at £197,386, from 1st April to 30th June. The most successful 

 boat earned £1200, but the earnings of the bulk of the boats ranged from 

 £200 to £400. 



The control of fish prices became operative about this time, and 

 restricted the maximum price to £7 14s., the range of prices being from 

 that figure down to 40s. per cran. 



The quality of the herrings was poor at the commencement of the 

 season, but improved as the season advanced. Shots ranged from 98 

 crans downwards, but the average catch was about 10 crans. The bulk 

 of the boats left for the East Coast fishing about the first week of June. 



After a lapse of several months the herring fishing was again commenced 

 by a fleet of from 40 to 60 boats in the Skye lochs and in the lochs on the 

 north-west coast of Sutherlandshire about the middle of November, and 

 continued to the close of the year with fair results. 



Great line fishing was carried on successfully by a number of Aberdeen 



