7- 



Appendices to Thirty-seventh Annual Report 



With short intervals in summer and autumn, practically the whole 

 of the year is devoted to herring fishing. The chief method adopted is 

 the seine net. 



Early in January some excellent catches were secured in the bays 

 and shallow waters on the Kintyre and Arran coasts. Machrie Bay, 

 Arran, the haunt of many a shoal, proved the most productive fishing 

 ground. The individual hauls throughout the year from this direction 

 often ranged in value from £450 to £900. 



In February the majority of the fleet proceeded to the fishing grounds 

 off the Ayrshire coast, making Stranraer their headquarters. The success 

 which attended their operations was most gratifying. As a result of the 

 high prices, the amount of money brought home by them for the few 

 weeks they were employed was £20,400. 



The most successful pair of seiners for the year earned upwards of 

 £7000. At one of the creeks in the district the net earnings of the fleet 

 (7 pairs of seiners) are estimated at £5000 per pair. 



There was no curing owing to the high prices paid for the green 

 article, and kippering also fell off to a large extent owing (1) to the 

 difficulty in obtaining suitable packages for the despatch of the goods to 

 market and (2) to a number of workers being laid aside for several weeks 

 during the best period of the season owing to an epidemic of influenza. 



In the freshing industry 7 steamers were employed. These vessels 

 followed the fleet to sea and conveyed their catches to the nearest- 

 railway terminus for despatch to the southern markets. Three of the 

 steamers had a carrying capacity of 100 tons, and the other 4 from 

 30 to 70 tons. Up to the end of 1917 it was the practice to dispose of 

 herrings at sea by the box — which held approximately two-fifths of a 

 cran — but early in 1918 and under the Defence of the Realm Act an order 

 was issued by the Ministry of Food that the sale of herrings was to be 

 by weight, with the result that the buyers on board these steamers had 

 to adopt the official quarter cran basket which contained practically 7 

 stones weight. This arrangement was satisfactorily adopted throughout 

 the year. 



Throughout the season some excellent catches of mackerel were 

 landed. The fish, although of large size and good quality, were not so 

 abundant as in 1917. Notwithstanding a shortage of 1343 cwts. in the 

 quantity landed, the value shows an increase of several thousand pounds. 

 There was a brisk demand for the fish. The average price was 22s. lid. 

 per cwt., as compared with 12s. 4d. in 1917 and 6s. 6d. in 1916. 



Great line fishing was prosecuted by a few small boats working from 

 several of the creeks in the district. The fish landed were chiefly cod, 

 for which there was an ever increasing demand. The average price was 

 48s. 9d. per cwt. as compared with 22s. 2d. in 1917. 



The shell-fisheries of the district were greatly handicapped owing to 

 fewer men being employed. In the catch of lobsters there is a decrease 

 of 2355, but an increase of £645 in value. The average price was Is. 10 Jd. 

 each as compared with Is. 3Jd. in 1917. 



The weather throughout the year was of the most erratic description 

 and on several occasions seriously interrupted the progress of the 

 fisheries. 



It is gratifying to report that there has been no loss of life in con- 

 nection with the fisheries. 



J. Skinner, 

 Acting Fishery Officer. 



Fishery Office, 

 Campbeltown, lith February 1919. 



