of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



27 



White Fish Curing. 



Nearly one half of the white fish landed in Scotland in 1920 was 

 preserved in some form, representing a total value after cure of 

 £2,158,485, in addition to imported fish cured, valued at £51,405. 

 The industry is largely centralised in Aberdeen, where 90 per cent, 

 of the quantity preserved in 1920 was dealt with. It is dependent 

 on the yield of the trawling industry, or rather tie two industries are 

 normally interdependent, but during the past year, owing to the poor 

 demand for cured dried fish and also to a shortage of skilled workers, 

 only a comparatively small proportion, about one-third, of the cod 

 landed was cured, and the trawling industry as already noted suffered 

 in consequence. The industry as a whole, however, again expanded 

 considerably after the lean war years. Particulars of the cure for 

 1920 are given in Table D., No. I. (b) y (p. 127), and of the correspond- 

 ing values in Table E., No. IV. (p. 139) ; while the quantities of 

 fish used fresh, arrived at by deducting the weight fresh of fish cured 

 from the total landings, are given in Table C. (p. 125). Smoked 

 haddocks, which sell chiefly in the home markets, predominated in 

 the cure in every district in which preserving was carried on to any 

 extent ; while cod, saithe, ling and whitings were the principal other 

 kinds dealt with. The only new departure was the tinning of cod 

 roes, of which 200 cwts. were put up in Aberdeen. Tinning showed 

 a considerable expansion during the year, reaching a volume never 

 before attained in Scotland, while it was anticipated that the tinning 

 factory, which forms a chief feature of the development schemes at 

 Stornoway, would be ready to begin operations in 1921. 



Exports. 



Compared with 1913 the total export of dried salted cod, etc., 

 during the year was less by 37 per cent., but it showed an increase 

 of 60 per cant, over that for 1919. Details of the year's exports of 

 fish other than herrings are shown in Table E., No. II. (p. 134). 



The 6294 cwts. of sprats entered as exported to the Continent 

 represent 2000 barrels which were cured towards the close of 1919, 

 and shipped to Sweden early in 1920. 



The condition of the markets for dried salted cod and other white 

 fish, although not quite so adverse as in the case of those for cured 

 herrings, was by no means favourable, financial conditions prevailing 

 in importing countries being largely responsible for the depressed 

 conditions. The Norwegian Government, in attempting to realise old 

 stocks accumulated towards and since the end of the war, placed 

 large quantities at cheap rates on the world's markets, and it is of 

 interest to note that Newfoundland, the other chief competitor with 

 Great Britain in the export of dried salted fish, decided upon a policy 

 of controlling the prices and shipments of cod fish exported, in the 

 hope of securing better prices than were current, but owing to the 

 high minimum prices fixed few sales were effected, and the policy 

 was finally abandoned early in 1921. 



The better qualities of dried salted fish are disposed of chiefly in 

 Spain and other Mediterranean countries and in South America. 

 Ireland consumes some of the cheaper varieties, and the poorest 

 qualities are marketed in North Africa and Madeira. 



