of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



15 



fleet engaged, the landings for July amounted to only 1,109,702 cwU. 

 as compared with 1,264,068 cwts. in the previous year, while the 

 figures for August fell to 628,532 cwts. as compared with 843,379 

 cwts. in August 1919. Curers especially suffered, as in order to utilise 

 the large stocks held at the curing stations and to keep their staffs 

 employed they frequently bought at 50s. to 60s. per cian, calculating 

 that their losses would thus be less than if they ceased operations 

 altogether. 



As it was evident that the curers could find no other outlet for 

 the bulk of their produce than by disposal to the Government at 

 the fixed rates, any increase over the minimum prices was sufficient 

 to endanger their margin of profit, and they accordingly endeavoured 

 by concerted action to impose a maximum price of 47s. per cran, but 

 the arrangement gradually broke down at one port after another. 



While fishermen certainly benefited from the fairly high prices 

 ruling, they had by no means a profitable season owing to the 

 extreme lightness of their catches, and as results were very partial 

 many finished the season in debt. 



In Table E., No. 1 (page 132), will be found particulars by 

 Fishery Districts and selections of the herrings accepted under the 

 scheme. These totalled 409,237 barrels at a purchase price of 

 £1,281,563, 14s. 6d. Though of good quality on the whole the herrings 

 were smaller in size than in a normal season, and a less proportion of 

 full herrings and a conespondingly larger proportion of the smaller 

 selections were obtained than is usually the case. 



After the expiry of the period during which the Government 

 guarantee was operative the fleet was rapidly reduced in size, and 

 for the decreased landings, which were disposed of chiefly for 

 kippering and freshing purposes, good prices were obtained. 



The total quantity of herrings landed in Scotland for the six 

 months from April to September, including Northumberland but 

 excluding the Clyde area, was 674,914 crans, and of this quantity 

 533,584 barrels were cured, as against 820,324 crans and 602,913 

 barrels for the corresponding period in 1919, 



For the season steam drifters working off the East Coast of 

 Scotland grossed on an average about £1100 and motor boats £700 

 or £800, while their expenses amounted to about £600 and £350 

 respectively. 



Various explanations were advanced for the partial failure of the 

 summer fishing, but that most generally accepted attributed it to the 

 presence on the fishing grounds of immense quantities of low forms 

 of marine life. In particular, organisms resembling small jelly-fish 

 and known as salps (salpce) were present in the waters in such 

 numbers as to clog the nets, causing them to hang like a wall, and 

 rendering hauling a lengthy and laborious process. It was suggested 

 that, besides interfering with fishing operations, these salps may 

 have also directly or indirectly driven the shoals away, being possibly 

 obnoxious to the herrings themselves or to the* organisms on which 

 herrings usually subsist, but probably the presence of the salps was 

 merely a symptom of hydrographical conditions unfavourable to the 

 presence of herring on the usual grounds. Dog-fish were also present 

 in unusual numbers, and this factor must also be taken into 

 account. 



