86 Appendices to Thirty-ninth Annual Report 



mackerel. They did fairly well, as their catches find a good market 

 with the visitors in the district at that period. 



For the first time since the war a trial was made at the herrirjg fish- 

 ing by three of the largest motor boats at Stonehaven. These boats, 

 after continuing the fishing for six weeks, were obliged to revert to 

 line fishing because of the scarcity of herrings off the district coast. The 

 best fished boat grossed £184, and the other two about £130 each. 



With the exception of Catterline, the crab fishing was not carried on 

 to any extent at any of the district creeks. Generally speaking, the 

 Catterline fishermen had a good season, but as they consign the crabs 

 themselves to the English markets, the high railway rates considerably 

 reduced their earnings. The value of shellfish was £198 higher than in 

 1919. The crabs landed at Catterline are said to be of very good quality 

 and sell readily. 



The net factory at Stonehaven has been extended recently, and all 

 branches of net-making are now conducted under the same roof, whereas 

 formerly the various workshops were considerably apart. The year was 

 not a busy one, as nets were not in great demand, owing, no doubt, to 

 the high prices ruling, and the net-makers were consequently very often 

 on short time. The prospects for the future are far from being bright, 

 as the manufacturers have large stocks on hand. 



The year was free from any serious casualties or loss of life. Loss of 

 fishing gear was also trifling. 



The prospects of the fishing industry for the immediate future are by 

 no means encouraging. The fishermen belonging to this district are 

 men well advanced in years, and the younger generation are not follow- 

 ing in the footsteps of their fathers, as was once the case, in adopting 

 fishing as a means of livelihood. It appears to be only a matter of time 

 until line fishirig will be an industry of the past, in the majority of 

 cases the remuneration is insufficient, while the women-folk strongly 

 object to the drudgery of baiting lines. 



James Donaldson, 

 Assistant Inspector of Sea Fisheries. 



Fishery Office, 

 Aberdeen, 12th January 1921. 



Aberdeen District. 



The results of the fisheries for the year 1920 were only fairly satis- 

 factory, but in so far as the value of fish landed is concerned, it was a 

 record season, as the value exceeded that for 1919 bv £848.660 and that 

 for 1913 by £1,630,283. The quantity of fish landed was about 67 per 

 cent, higher than last year, and was within 11 per cent, of the catch for 

 1913, which was the most remarkable year ever experienced in the 

 history of the trade a.t this port. Great though the landings were, they 

 do not altogether represent a year of prosperity for the producer. The 

 earnings in the important trawling industry unfortunately entailed 

 dwindling profits, and in some cases losses to the companies concerned. 



Competition became intensified from the opening of the year 

 by a steady increase of the fleet, 'and a frequently congested 

 market led to lower selling prices, while the cost of production 

 mounted abnormally. It was almost a daily occurrence for vessels to 

 have a debit settlement, especially trawlers voyaging to the far-distant 

 grounds. On the other hand, the majority of the short-voyage trawlers 

 were fairly successful. Steam liners on the whole did remarkably well. 



