of the Fishery Board for Scotland, 



89 



unfortunates among the converted trawler-liners, but the majority of 

 the vessels did very well. 



The results of small-line fishing by motor boats were very dis- 

 heartening. By early summer a number of the boats had discontinued 

 the fishing and were laid up, as they were not earning working expenses, 

 let alone a living wage. Several of the fishermen were for a time 

 employed as fish porters in the market. The small-lining industry is 

 fast dying out, and is now prosecuted only by fishermen well advanced 

 in years, while the younger generation all go to either trawling or steam 

 lining. It is only a matter of time until the industry will be a thing of 

 the past. The baiting of lines involves an enormous amount of work on 

 a fisherman's household, and fishermen with no family are paying at the 

 rate of 24s. per week for a woman's labour baiting lines. A feature 

 favourable to these fishermen, however, was a very successful autumn 

 fishing with the seine net in Aberdeen Bay, and so satisfactory were the 

 results that a fleet of 35 motor boats was employed. Of these, 19 

 belonged to Gourdon, where also small-line fishing was found to be unre- 

 munerative. In previous years the seine net was a complete failure in this 

 locality, and the fishermen attribute the successful catch to a plentiful 

 supply of lug worms on the fishing grounds, caused by heavy ground 

 swells on the shore. For two months the fishing continued to yield good 

 catches, and the best fished boat made £767, while the average earnings 

 stood about £364. One boat made £101 for one night's work. No flat 

 fish under the minimum size of 8 inches allowed by the regulations 

 were landed. 



The herring fishing opened with exceedingly poor prospects in so far 

 as the curing branch of the industry was concerned. Very little pre- 

 paration was made by curers for the opening of their curing yards 

 owing to the uncertainty of boats congregating at the port, which has 

 of recent years been neglected as a herring port. On that account it 

 was not considered necessary to form a Local Committee under the 

 Government Guarantee Scheme, but the work was undertaken by the 

 Assistant Inspector, who was called upon only four times to settle small 

 disputes, when prices tended to go below the minimum. No cases had 

 to be brought before the Executive Committee for settlement, and no 

 expenses were incurred in connection with the working of the scheme. 



The season turned out a comparative failure. The bulk of the 

 herrings landed was caught by boats fishing principally from Peterhead, 

 which arrived at the port with their catches towards the end of the 

 week, with the sole object of securing a supply of bunker coal at a 

 cheaper rate than at Peterhead. Up to 21st August the season's catch 

 amounted to only 10,352 crans, of which the small total of 1108 crans 

 was cured gutted for exportation, 1437 barrels being handed over to the 

 Government and accepted as Grade 1. About 90 per cent, of the catch 

 was purchased for tinning, kippering and freshing. The quality was 

 poor, especially in the case of the herrings caught on the south grounds. 

 The average price works out at 55s. 4d. per cran, and for those cured 

 at 46s. 6d. 



The cured dried fish trade was not conducted with the usual activity, 

 and a lack of experienced workers tended to restrict the purchase of 

 supplies. This industry, like the herring industry, was considerably 

 affected by the rate of exchange and the poor demand in foreign 

 markets, on which the trade entirely depends. The amount cured during 

 the year was 98,252 cwts., chiefly codling, saithe and haddocks, being 

 an increase of 38,152 cwts. over last year's cure. Prices were flat owing 

 to the very poor demand, and large stocks still in the hands of the 

 merchants do not augur well for the Icelandic fishing of 1921. 



