of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 109 



Wick District. 



The total quantity of net and line fish landed in Wick district in the 

 year 1920 amounted to 559,629 cwts. valued at £418,574. The quantity 

 exceeded by 67,748 cwts. the average results obtained in the fifteen 

 years 1900 to 1914, and the value, when compared with that of the year 

 1919, which was the highest recorded in the books of the district, shows 

 an increase of £144,234. The value of shell-fish landed in the district in 

 the year 1920 amounted to £6341, which figure has only once been 

 exceeded during the preceding twenty ysars, viz. : — in the year 1902, 

 when the value was £6757. 



Compared with those for the year 1914, the means of capture returns 

 for the year 1920 show an increase of 53 in the number of motor boats, 

 but decreases of 7 and 75 respectively in the number of steam drifters 

 and sail boats. During the period since 1914 a large number of sail 

 boats of all sizes, belonging to Wick district, have been equipped with 

 motor engines, while many sail boats, being unseaworthy, have been 

 broken up. Except at the smaller creeks of the district, sail boats are 

 now seldom used. From the year 1914 to the year 1920, 6 steam drifters 

 belonging to Wick district were sold and went to other districts in 

 Scotland and England, and 4 were lost, and only in 3 cases were these 

 replaced by the purchase of other vessels. In the year 1914 the Wick 

 herring fleet consisted of 23 steam drifters, 19 motor and 41 sail boats, 

 as compared with 15 steam drifters, 32 motor and 4 sail boats in the 

 year 1920. 



The winter herring fishing is an important one in Wick district. In 

 the year 1920 this fishing was begun on 1st January by a few boats, 

 whose immediate success speedily attracted a fleet of considerable 

 dimensions. When the fleet was at its largest, it consisted of 140 steam- 

 drifters, mostly of the best class, and 24 motor boats. The fishing 

 grounds situated off the North Coast, between Strathy Point and Cape 

 Wrath, were well stocked with fish, and on these grounds the fleet 

 operated throughout the season. The weather was often too rough and 

 stormy for the motor boats and small steamers, but the crews of the 

 larger vessels carried on the fishing with great regularity, and in most 

 cases secured a rich harvest. Among the outstanding features of the 

 fishing were a large number of heavy individual shots, and the high 

 daily average catches. The highest shot, 227 crans, was landed by the 

 steam-drifter George A. West, B.F. 544, on 30th January, and on that day 

 29 vessels landed at Wick an average of 84 crans. After 14th February 

 the stranger crews began to leave for home, and on 6th March the season 

 closed with a total catch of 55,088 crans valued at £144,958. Of the 

 total catch 43,404 crans were landed at Wick, and 11,684 crans at 

 Scrabster. In general the quality of the herrings was excellent. 

 Prices ranged up to 98s. per cran, and the average price was 52s. 7|d. 

 per cran. Owing to the rough weather experienced, especially in 

 February and March, and to the weight of the shots, there was a great 

 loss of fishing material, and thus, although the general results of the 

 fishing were highly satisfactory, many of the crews engaged had a most 

 unprofitable season. This applies particularly to the smaller of the 

 steam-drifters and to practically all the motor boats. As to the disposal 

 of the catch, 30,400 crans were sent fresh, and 17,7.00 crans kippered to 

 the south markets, while 1210 barrels were cured gutted and 8640 barrels 

 ungutted. The demand for cured herrings was poor, and a large 

 percentage of the winter cure had to be kept on hand until the end of 

 the summer season, when they were disposed of at low prices, which 

 meant a considerable loss to the curers. 



