72 



Appendices to Thirty -ninth Annual Report 



Findhorn District. 



The number of vessels at work from this district, was the greatest 

 since 1914. There was a decline in the quantity of fish landed, which 

 was due to the failure of the small herring and sprat fishing in the 

 Inverness and Beauly Firths, and also to the decline of line fishing. 

 Crews engaged at the prosecution of the Winter Herring Fishing met 

 with fair success, and steamers had earnings of £500 to £1500 and 

 motor boats of £400 to £900. The small herring and sprat fishing at 

 Inverness did fairly well in the opening months of the year, but was a 

 complete failure daring the latter months. Poor results were obtained 

 at cod-net fishing, at which crews' earnings ranged from £200 to £500. 

 At Yarmouth and Lowestoft crews had earnings of £800 to £2800. 



Cromarty District. 



Crews of this district that were engaged at the sprat and small 

 herring fishing had a disappointing season on account of the scarcity 

 of fish. In the month of March cod-net fishing was engaged in by 

 district crews with fair success. Cod were usually sold at 2s. to 6s. each. 

 Small-line fishing was not so successfully prosecuted- as was the case in 

 1919. From February to April good supplies of plaice were caught on 

 small lines. An Avoch crew acquired a steam drifter and had a 

 successful season at Lowestoft. 



Helmsdale District. 



No herring fishing was conducted in this district. There was a 

 slight decrease in the quantity of fish landed, while prices were under 

 those of the previous year. Increased quantities of shell fish were 

 landed. Cod-net fishing yielded much less than in the previous year, 

 while the value was less than half. Some of the district fishermen 

 emigrated to the Colonies and America. 



Lybster District. 



Small and hand line fishing was chiefly followed by the fishermen of 

 this district, and fish were found fairly abundant, especially during the 

 last quarter of the year. In the month of August herring fishing was 

 commenced in Latheron Bay, and was continued for about five weeks, 

 during which time crews earned from £15 to £400. There are now in 

 the district two kippering establishments, from which there is a good 

 output. 



Wick District. 



The winter herring fishing in this district was a record one. A 

 fleet of 140 steam drifters and 24 motor boats was engaged, and operated 

 chiefly on the North Coast. Prominent features of the season were the 

 great number of heavy individual takes and the high daily averages. 

 The highest take was 227 crans, and on one occasion 29 craft averaged 

 84 crans. The season's catch was 55,088 crans of the value of £144,958, 

 and prices ranged up to 98s. per cran, averaging 52s. 7|d. The bulk of 

 the catch was kippered and freshed, and to kipperers and freshers the 

 season was fairly profitable, even although the markets fluctuated con- 

 siderably. Cod-net fishing was not carried on to any great extent. 

 Nine local crews operated for five weeks, and attained moderate success. 



