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Appendices to Thirty-ninth Annual Report 



their best supplies, but so light were the catches during the year that 

 codlings frequently were dearer than haddocks. The total catch shows 

 a decrease of 51 per cent, as compared with that of 1919, and of 29 per 

 cent, as compared with that of 1913. 



The Icelandic fishing was not up to expectation, and was not con- 

 ducted with the same energy as in pre-war times. The demand for fish 

 from that locality, which, as a rule, are only fit for cured-dried purposes, 

 was very limited, and the fishing was eventually given up by local 

 vessels. The scarcity of fish splitters considerably handicapped 

 the curers. There were numerous arrivals of English vessels from 

 salting voyages, whose fish being split and salted on board suits 

 curers better, owing to the saving of labour. Local trawlers cannot 

 compete with English vessels in this fishing, as the English fishermen 

 are much better paid for the adventure, receiving a bonus on the gross 

 earnings for the voyage, which the Aberdeen fishermen do not. To 

 equip a trawler for an Iceland voyage costs from £800 to £900, fully half 

 of which is expended on coals, extra crew, gear, ice, etc. ; so it is very 

 easy to run into debt with an unsuccessful voyage. The season's catch 

 amounted to 211,490 cwts. valued at £149,756, against 111,445 cwts. and 

 £123,125 for 1919, and 546,321 cwts. and £179,168 for 1913. 



Herring trawling started during the last week in August and con- 

 tinued for six weeks with unexpected success. Almost all the vessels 

 fished with the ordinary trawl net, only a very limited number being 

 fitted with the special herring trawl. The herrings were caught mostly 

 on the Fladden grounds, lying from 120 to 150 miles N.E. by E. from 

 Aberdeen. This area, although extensively fished in pre-war years, 

 never yielded any quantity of ground herrings. The fish were of fine 

 quality, being well matured, with milt or roe, and being congregated in 

 a dense shoal, doubtless for spawning, fell an easy prey to the trawl 

 nets. The total catch for the period was 10,844 crans, and the price 

 averaged 65s. per cran. Practically all were made into kippers, and 

 buyers were attracted from Peterhead and Fraserburgh for supplies. 

 The best-fished vessel grossed £2553 for four shots, and the highest 

 catch made £1104, but many of the vessels were not successful and dis- 

 continued operations. In all, 71 trawlers made from one to six voyages, 

 the aggregate number of arrivals being 180. German trawlers were 

 reported to be working on the same locality, and were said to be doing 

 considerably better than the Aberdeen vessels, as all the former were 

 fitted with the special herring trawl nets. It was in Germany that the 

 Aberdeen fishermen purchased these nets before the war, as they are 

 not made in this country unless specially ordered, and even then it is 

 difficult to have an order completed. 



Steam line vessels had a remarkably good year, and so encouraging 

 were the results that 34 trawlers were converted into liners for about 

 5 months of the year. The most profitable grounds fished were Faroe 

 Bank, Rockall, St. Kilda, and Eagle Island off the west coast of Ireland. 

 It is noteworthy that the catch of halibut was a record one, representing 

 about 26 per cent, of the total line catch. Line-caught halibut gener- 

 ally commands good prices, but the average obtained was 93s. 7d. per 

 cwt., which is a record for this species. In the early spring and summer 

 about 120 liners were operating from this port, although the majority 

 were of the drifter-liner class from the Firth of Forth, Peterhead and 

 Buckie, and all made fair earnings, fishing principally for cod in 

 the North Sea. The best fished liner of the largest class realised 

 .£22,000 for the year's work, which is unprecedented in the history 

 of line fishing at this port. The best drifter-liner continuing the 

 line fishing throughout the year made £12,000. There were a few 



