26 



Thirty-ninth Annual Report 



Western Eoss and off the Ayrshire coast. The Moray Firth fishing 

 was not so successful as in previous years, as the fish appeared to be 

 scarce; and as prices were low and expenses heavy the fishing was 

 discontinued earlier than usual. The results of the Firth of Forth 

 fishing were again disappointing, owing to stormy weather : while at 

 the Badachro fishing, although catches of cod and saithe were slightly 

 better than in 1919, the low prices prevailing made the season 

 unprofitable. With the assistance of a guarantee from the Board of 

 Agriculture for Scotland (as representing the old Congested Districts 

 Board), the Board were able to arrange fcr the services of a motor 

 boat to convey a fair proportion of the catch to Kyle, and but for 

 this the results might have been poorer. 



Sprats, Sparlings and Mackerel. 



Owing to the plentiful supply of both herrings and white fish 

 during the year, there was little or no demand for sprats, and nearly 

 the whole of the landings were disposed of as manure. These fish 

 are taken during the winter months in the Forth and Tay estuaries 

 and in the Inverness Firth; and the total landings for the year, 

 being the produce of the later months of the 1919-20 season and of 

 the earlier months of that of 1920-21, amounted to 33,189 cwts.. 

 valued at £5001, of which the greater part was taken in the Tay 

 estuary. The quantity cured was 120U cwts., all pickled in Findhorn 

 district. 



The year's total catch of sparlings was as usual insignificant. 



The landings of mackerel amounted to 69,746 cwts., valued at 

 £33,490, taken for the most part at the chief drifter ports in the 

 course of herring fishing. For this variety also the demand has 

 fallen off with the passing of the war time shortage. Only a small 

 proportion, about 3 per cent., was preserved, being tinned, pickled 

 or smoked. 



Crustaceans and Shell Fish. 



Owing to the unremunerative results obtained from small-line 

 fishing, greatly increased attention was paid to creel fishing, and the 

 catch and value of lobsters and crabs show satisfactory increasee. 

 Lobsters are taken chietly in the Hebrides and off the neighbouring 

 mainland coast, in the Orkneys, and off the East Coast southwards 

 from the Firth of Tay, and crabs are taken mostly in the last-named 

 area. The yield of musseLs shows an increase, but it was still far 

 from adequate to meet the demand for bait in Scotland, and local 

 supplies had to be augmented by consignments obtained from 

 England and Ireland ; owing, however, to increased railway rates 

 and delays in the service these were more expensive and unsatis- 

 factory than ever, and the Board have under consideration the 

 practicability of developing local sources of supply. Xearly all the 

 oysters taken came from the Loch Evan beds, but the total yield 

 was comparatively smalL The ° unclassified " shell fish consisted 

 chiefly of shrimps taken in the Solway area, and cockles and peri- 

 winkles from various districts, chiefly on the West Coast. 



