112 



Appendices to Thirty -ninth Annual Report 



increase in the quantity and value of each kind. The average prices 

 were, lobsters Is. 8Jd. each and crabs 2^d. each, as against Is. lOJd. and 

 2^d. respectively in the year 1919. 



By the renovating and rebuilding of a number of kippering premises 

 the kippering capacity was greatly increased. At the close of the year 

 a kippering establishment capable of dealing with 90 crans daily was 

 being built at Wick for a Peterhead curer. The total quantity of 

 herrings converted into kippers in Wick district during the year 1920 

 amounted to 39,617 crans. 



Arrangements were made for re-opening in 1921 the factory at Wick 

 for the manufacture of "Marvis," which is made from fillets of cod 

 fish. By a process of crushing and drying these are reduced to the 

 form of meal or powder, yielding an easily prepared, palatable and 

 nutritious food, which is put up in packets like cornflour. The Marvis 

 Company also intend to specialise in other foods manufactured from 

 herrings and certain other fish which are put up in tins. Machinery 

 for making the tins has been fitted up in the Company's commodious 

 factory. 



Owing to the high cost of production and to the considerable stocks 

 of empty barrels left on curers' hands as a result of the shortage in the 

 summer herring catch, the number of barrels constructed was compara- 

 tively small, and there was some unemployment among coopers. 



At Wick 7 basket makers were kept more or less regularly employed, 

 chiefly making herring baskets. In December the price of the quarter- 

 cran basket dropped from 10s. to 8s. 6d. 



A 40-feet boat was built at Thurso and equipped with a 25/30 hp. 

 "Kelvin" motor engine. The boat is to be used at that creek for line 

 and drift-net fishing. 



In January the motor boat "Briar," W.K. 343, was totally wrecked 

 when attempting to enter Wick harbour in stormy weather with a shot 

 of 120 crans of herrings. In October the S.S. " Fidelia," W.K. 563, 

 when engaged in the Yarmouth herring fishing sank as a result of a 

 collision with another drifter. No lives were lost. 



The fishery barometers lent by the Meteorological Society to certain 

 of the fishing communities continue to be well kept and are highly 

 appreciated. 



Government Schemes have so far kept the herring fishing industry 

 going, but at the close of the year 1920 the outlook for the future of 

 that industry is very dark. The gloomy prospects are largely due to 

 the mistake made in greatly increasing the catching power when the 

 state of the principal markets for cured herrings called for a great 

 reduction. If, instead of manning steam drifters and motor boats, 

 fishermen had been able to revert, for a few years, to the use of the old 

 lugger, the prospects, so far as fishermen are concerned, would have 

 been much more hopeful. It appears that the only remedy for the 

 present troubles is to lay up a large number of the steam drifters and 

 motor boats, and to endeavour to regulate the output to the needs of 

 the available markets. It is to be hoped that the Government working 

 in conjunction with the trade may be able before the time comes for 

 commencing the summer season of 1921 to make arrangements which 

 wiil enable exporters to carry on a safe business in cured herrings with 

 Russia and Germany. 



Alexander Wood, 



Fishery Officer. 



Fishery Office, 

 Wick, February 1921. 



