of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



97 



Altogether 135 crews from this district prosecuted herring fishing on 

 the East Anglian coast during autumn. The season proved moderately 

 successful, the gross earnings of the district crews being £166,335. 

 Fortunately the prosecution of this fishing was attended by very little 

 loss of fishing gear. 



Two large motor boats were fitted out for trawling, but the gear was 

 disposed of after a few unsuccessful trials. During the latter part of the 

 year a number of steam trawlers landed their catches at Fraserburgh. 

 Most of the takes were railed to Aberdeen market for sale. 



The boat-building trade was slack throughout the year, the output 

 being limited to small motor and sail boats. The employment for 

 coopers was good until near the end of the year. 



In January a regrettable accident occurred afrthe entrance of Fraser- 

 burgh harbour. A motor line boat while returning from the fishing 

 grounds was swamped, and the three fishermen who were on board were 

 drowned. Other three small motor boats were lost on the same day, 

 but the crews were saved. In July a fisherman, employed on a 

 Lowestoft drifter fishing from Fraserburgh, fell overboard and was 

 drowned. 



During the past year very little was accomplished in the way of re- 

 establishing the fishing industry, more especially herring fishing and 

 curing, in which this district is largely interested, on a satisfactory basis. 

 The chief factors which adversely affect the industry are (1) the increased 

 cost of vessels and fishing material and the high working expenses ; 

 (2) the unfavourable financial position of the countries in Central Europe 

 to which herrings are exported, and (3) the continued closure of the 

 Russian markets. 



Owing to the high cost of fishing material, fishermen were not in a 

 position to replace the usual proportion of their gear, and already a 

 shortage of nets is being experienced. From this cause a number of 

 large .motor boats and a few of the oldest steam drifters were laid up 

 during last year, with considerable loss to the owners. The working 

 expenses of fishing vessels, i.e. cost of coals, oil, stores and labour, showed 

 no reduction during the past year, and it is impossible for fishermen to 

 continue to fish unless they receive a proportionate price for their pro- 

 duce. Curers are in a similar position. With the increased cost of 

 barrels, salt and labour, the expenses of curing a barrel of herrings are 

 now reckoned at 26s. compared with about 8s. in 1914. Fishermen and 

 curers were able to carry on business during the past year without any 

 very serious loss by the aid of the Government Guarantee, but a very 

 large proportion of the year's cure remains in the hands of the Govern- 

 ment unsold. The high cost of herrings in this country, coupled with 

 the depreciated exchange and the import restrictions of the con- 

 suming countries, limited the sale of herrings, and until those import 

 restrictions are removed and better financial arrangements made, it is 

 difficult to see how the cured herring industry can be conducted^on 

 anything approaching its pre-war scale. 



Wm. Keir, 

 Fishery Officer. 



Fishery Office, 

 Fraserburgh, 17th January 1921. 



Banff District. 



The returns of fish landed in this district during the past year show 

 a decrease in quantity of 8735 cwts. The value also decreased to the 



G 



