of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



121 



averaging .£230, from which has to be deducted close on £100 for 

 paraffin and oil. The local merchants own most of the boats, and they 

 intend selling them as soon a3 possible. The Eriskay fishermen, who 

 own their boats, had a very successful year. During the summer the 8 

 boats averaged £120 gross ; and since October at the Skye Lochs, while 

 2 grossed £800 each, the others ranged from £400 to £700. 



Over the period May to August the curers had a very successful 

 season. The average price paid by them was 51s. 6d. per cran, while 

 they were selling the cured article at 80s. to 85s. per two half-barrels 

 of large matjes, and 60s. to 65s. per barrel of medium matjes. The 

 total cure amounted to 15,636 barrels, compared with Till barrels in 

 the same period last year. 



The prospects for the ensuing summer season are favourable in this 

 district. During the last two years curers have had very profitable 

 seasons, and they have increased their staffs by 50 per cent, for the 

 coming summer. The same curers have reduced their staffs on the East 

 Coast. Three curers who had not opened their stations since 1911 are 

 likely to commence this year, and two others are negotiating for stations. 

 The fishing grounds, being only a short distance off from Castlebay, are 

 easily and economically worked by steam drifters, which also have had 

 two good seasons on the West Coast, and intend returning in 1921 to 

 work from Castlebay and the Minch rail head ports. The herrings 

 caught around these islands are superior to those caught on the East 

 Coast and are preferred in America, where the whole of the past two 

 years' cure has been disposed of by the curers without Government aid. 



Although the landings of long fish were almost doubled compared 

 with last year, the total cured was slightly less. The difference in the 

 quantity cured was due to the falling off of the ling fishing at Eriskay, 

 the principal curing station in the district. The increase in the landings 

 was due to the landing by steam drifters and boatsjn the summer of cod 

 and saithe caught by hand-line. These fish were all used fresh locally. 

 A small but productive shoal of haddocks was discovered about the be- 

 ginning of August in Castlebay, where it remained until the middle of 

 September. Small boats with three and four hand lines were getting 

 up to 3 cwts. for a few hours' fishing; 240 cwts. were caught ofi this spot 

 in the short time the fish were on the ground. 



Flounder and plaice fishing i3 prosecuted throughout the district, 

 and the landings were almost similar to the previous year's. These are 

 caught for home use and to bait lobster creels. 



A large increase in the lobster fishing took place at Lochboisdale and 

 Barra in the south district. More crofter-fishermen are taking up this 

 branch of the fisheries, as it is conveniently worked along with a croft and 

 entails little expense for the necessary gear, while the lobsters — small in 

 bulk for their value — are easily transported from the outlying creeks to 

 the steamer ports of call. The advent of a motor boat calling at the 

 creeks to buy the lobsters on the spot gave an added incentive to the 

 more diligent prosecution of the fishing. 



Little or no advantage was taken of the Government Scheme for 

 pickled herrings. The curers paid higher prices than the minimum all 

 the season, and were able to dispose of almost the whole cure at con- 

 siderably higher prices than those offered under the scheme. At its 

 closing date, the American market had collapsed, and the curers handed 

 over the 533 barrels they had on hand, being only 3 per cent, of the 

 season's cure. 



There was an increase of 23 crews of women employed locally 

 compared with the preceding year. Their earnings averaged £22 per 

 woman, compared with £15 in 1919. Thirty-five crews were at various 



