of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



13 



end of March, but with little success, the total landings in Leith and 

 Anstruther districts during the first quarter of the year amounting to 

 only 8903 crans, valued at £28,216, as against 10,883 cians, valued 

 at £65,532, for the corresponding peiiod of the previous year. 



In the Clyde heavy catches were made in the Kyles of Bute by the 

 seine net motor boats up till the middle of January, when the shoals 

 of herring left this area. Later, they were located on the spawning 

 banks off the Ayrshire coast, but as a result at first of stormy 

 weather, and later, when weather permitted active operations, of 

 the low prices obtained for heavy catches of herrings of comparatively 

 poor quality the fleet was gradually dispersed, and the boats were 

 laid up until the opening of the summer season. 



Summer Herring Fishing. 



Shortly after the termination of the winter fishing a movement 

 was set on foot to secure a repetition of the Government Guarantee 

 given in the previous year, while in order to prevent a recurrence of 

 the low prices and disputes which had followed upon the premature 

 start of the summer fishing in 1919, it was voluntarily agreed among 

 fishermen that 'the commencement of operations on the East Coast 

 should be delayed until 15th June. This close time did not, however, 

 apply to the West Coast, and by the first week in May 70 steam and 

 18 motor drifters had begun fishing from Mallaig and Oban. 



The first proposals made by the industry for assistance to finance 

 the season's transactions were not acceptable to the Government, 

 and as the 15th of June drew mar the feeling of anxiety as to the 

 prospects of the summer herring fishing became acute. 



The alternative of assistance under the Export Credits Scheme 

 which had been suggested was regarded as inadequate and quite 

 unsuited to the conditions and circumstances of the industry ; and at 

 mass meetings held at the various fishing ports it was resolved that 

 fishing would not be engaged in unless and until the Government 

 decision was reconsidered. The voluntary close time was thus 

 prolonged and was generally observed on the East Coast, except that 

 for a time crews from Eyemouth worked alongside English crews 

 from Northumberland ports, while quantities of surplus bait were 

 landed at the Scottish trawling ports by great line vessels working 

 in the North Sea. The East Coast drifters which had been working 

 at West Coast ports also suspended operations, although a number 

 of Shetland and Stornoway drifters continued fishing from their 

 home ports, and found a ready market for their catches for freshing 

 and kippering. While the operations of boats at work were jealously 

 watched, they were not interfered with by the main body of the 

 fishermen. 



Negotiations with the Government in which the Board took an 

 active part were continued, and ultimately the Government sanctioned 

 a guarantee scheme involving the expenditure of £3,000,000, of 

 which not more than £1,800,000 was to be allocated in respect of 

 herrings landed and cured in Scotland or Northumberland from 25th 

 June to 21st August, and the balance co the English autumn fishing. 



The form of the Guarantee differed from that of 1919 in several 

 respects, but chiefly in that it provided for the taking over at the time 



