of the Fishery Board for Scotland, 



85 



Two steam drifters were built at Montrose and engined at Dundee, 

 and a second class motor boat was built for local owners also at 

 Montrose. 



Fortunately there was no loss of life in connection with the various 

 fisheries, but there was considerable loss of and damage to fishing gear, 

 especially trawl gear. 



As regards the future prospects of the industry in the district, small- 

 line fishing is the only branch regarding which any doubt may be ex- 

 pressed. Seine net fishing will doubtless provide an alternative means 

 of livelihood for the fishermen, but very much depends upon the con- 

 tinuance of the present downward movement in the prices of com- 

 modities if line fishing is to hold its own, a condition which also holds 

 good in respect of the trawling industry. 



Jas. Mair, 

 Fishery Officer. 



Fishery Office, 

 Montrose, 25th January 1921. 



Stonehaven District. 



In Stonehaven district the fishing industry was carried on with very 

 unsatisfactory results. Operations were confined almost entirely to 

 small-line fishing by motor boats, and the landings exhibit a decrease 

 of 4748 cwts. in quantity and £11,864 in value when contrasted with 

 those of 1919. The scarcity of fish and low prices obtained, combined 

 with high prices of fishing material, oil, etc., as well as of mussel 

 bait, have militated against the success of this branch of the industry. 

 Fishermen, generally, have barely earned a living wage. 



The weather conditions throughout the year were rather unfavourable 

 for successful fishing, especially during the winter and spring months. 

 On the favourite grounds off Tod Head the catches for a time did not 

 even pay for the mussel bait used. 



There is practically no change in the means of capture, the fleet 

 remaining similar in every respect to that of the preceding year. The 

 success which attended motor boats during the war seems to be on the 

 wane, and local fishermen are beginning to wonder if these will continue 

 to be a paying speculation. It is considered probable that the boats may 

 pay fishermen owners, but it is very doubtful if they will continue to pay 

 shore owners. There is no demand for these boats, even at reduced 

 prices. Heavy supplies of trawl fish have a great effect in keeping down 

 the price of live line fish, so that the earnings of the line fishermen are 

 at times disappointingly low. 



There were 19 motor yawls regularly employed at the small-line fish- 

 ing. The earnings realised by these boats for the year ranged from 

 £790 to £1600, averaging about £1100 for a boat with four of a crew, 

 while the working expenses amounted to about £400 per boat. Hard 

 work and drudgery are entailed, both to the fishermen and to their 

 families, by this method of fishing, and those engaged are poorly com- 

 pensated for their labours. Fishermen who have no family are paying 

 at the rate of £1 per week for the baiting of lines, so that they find a 

 difficulty in getting ends to meet. About half a dozen saii boats were 

 engaged in small-line fishing, and their earnings would average about 

 £260 for a crew of three men. 



A good many occasional fishermen are employed at Stonehaven 

 during the summer months at hand-line fishing for codlings and 



