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Appendices to Thirty-ninth Annual Report 



In the early part of the season kipperers and dealers in fresh herrings 

 secured fine profits, but later the south markets were over supplied with 

 herrings from the North of Scotland and also from Norway. Prices at 

 those markets fell, and on their consignments the kipperers and freshers 

 lost as frequently as they profited. For them, however, the season as 

 a whole was a profitable one. 



All bunker coals had to be sea borne, and the coal merchants appeared 

 to have difficulty in securing tonnage sufficient to supply the require- 

 ments of the fleet. On several occasions the local supplies were ex- 

 hausted, and a number of the steam-drifters, failing to replenish their 

 bunkers, were unable to proceed to sea. On one occasion, in order to 

 keep the fishing going, the Town's reserve stock of household coals had 

 to be utilised. 



While the winter fishing was in progress, the inadequacy of the rail- 

 way facilities to deal with the catch, i.e. the need for increased loading 

 accommodation at Wick station, and for a double line between that 

 station and Inverness was very apparent. There was also a great 

 shortage of fish trucks. These conditions were the cause of constant 

 anxiety and of considerable loss to the senders of fresh herrings and 

 kippers, and until better facilities are provided, there can be no develop- 

 ment in the freshing business done at Wick during the winter fishing 

 season. 



In March, having finished the winter herring fishing, 8 local crews of 

 motor boats commenced and for five weeks carried on cod-net fishing in 

 the Moray Firth. These crews met with little success. Cod were scarce, 

 stormy weather hindered fishing operations, and compared with their 

 landings in previous years stranger crews landed very few catches of net 

 cod at Wick. The total quantity landed at Wick amounted to 1614 

 cwts. valued at £1897, as against 5846 cwts. valued at £12,033 in the vear 

 1919, and 13,059 cwts. valued at £44,445 in the year 1918. 



In the latter part of May and the first two weeks of June a small fleet 

 of 54 steam-drifters and motor boats engaged in the early summer 

 fishing and landed their catches at Scrabster. At this fishing the 

 principal fishing grounds were from 8 to 14 miles W. of Hoy Sound, and 

 from 12 to 25 miles N.E. of Sule Skerry. In June some fine shots 

 ranging up to 100 crans were secured on the Sule Skerry grounds, and 

 shots up to 25 crans on the grounds off Hoy Sound. The fish were of 

 good quality and commanded high prices, principally for kippering pur- 

 poses. Prices ranged from 49s. to 135s. per cran, the average price being 

 84s. 3d. per cran. The total quantity landed at the early fishing 

 amounted to 3740 crans, and the value of the catch to £15,582. 



On 9th June it became known that the Government had refused to 

 give a guarantee for the summer herring fishing. The fishermen met at 

 Scrabster and carried a resolution to suspend all fishing operations until 

 the Government should reconsider their decision and give the guarantee 

 asked for. Accordingly on that date the early fishing came to an end, 

 and fishing operations were not resumed until under the Government 

 Guarantee Scheme the summer herring fishing began on the East Coast 

 on 24th June. A fleet consisting of 170 steam-drifters, 70 motor boats 

 and 4 sail boats commenced the fishing at Wick. On the first two days 

 of the season the landings were heavy, amounting in the aggregate to 

 9543 crans. The curer3 at that time were not prepared to deal with 

 such heavy supplies. A large number of their women workers had not 

 arrived, and others for one reason or another were not available until 1st 

 July. Consequently on each day it was found necessary to rouse about 

 one-fourth of the catch. Judging from the first two days of the fishing, 

 the trade came to the conclusion that herrings were plentiful, and that 



