Appendices to Thirty-ninth Annual Report 



ports on the East Coast. They had 20s. per week as wages.' but had a 

 very poor season, barely averaging 12s. per week for piece work and time 

 work combined. Eighty crews went to the East Anglian fishing, where 

 their earnings ranged from £92 to £103 per crew, compared with £60 

 to £75 per crew in 1919. 



One cooper was employed in the district during the winter and made 

 464 half barrels. 



Fortunately there were no lives lost in connection with the fisheries 

 during the year, and the loss in gear was comparatively light. 



The fishery baragraph at Lochboisdale is kept in good condition, 

 and is much appreciated by the fishermen of the creek. 



A. M. M'Kenzie. 



Fishery Officer. 



Fishery Office, 

 Castlebay. 20^ January 1921. 



Loch Broom District. 



This district, being primarily dependent on the erratic loch herring 

 fishings, has its periods of alternate depression and prosperity in a more 

 marked degree than districts which rely on wider stretches of fishing 

 grounds. During the past year there were practically no herring shoals 

 found in any of the district lochs, but the results of the less important 

 cod-net fishing were a little better than in the previous unsuccessful 

 year. Consequent on the herring scarcity the small-line and lobster 

 fishings were more energetically prosecuted, and while line fishing showed 

 an increase in catch, the number of lobsters captured showed an 

 increase of over 1O.000 over the previous record. 



The means of capture returns show an increase of 45 boats and a 

 decrease of 330 tons as compared with those of 1914. The increased 

 number of boats is slightly misleading, because the majority of the 

 small boats added to the register were most probably in use during 

 1914. although not registered because not fishing for sale. But the 

 decrease -in tonnage shows unmistakably the decline of the district 

 fisheries. Better class craft have mostly been sold to more prosperous 

 districts, until at the present time there are only 3 first-class, and 73 

 second-class boats compared with 17 and 94 respactively in 1914. 



During the year 1920 3 second-class motor boats were added to the 

 list, and 1, wrecked, was struck off. 



The quantity and value of fish landed, excluding shell fish, waa 

 16.895 cwts. and £9707, compared with 33.755 cwts. and £18.405 in 

 1919. Shell fish, principally lobsters, realised £5436 as compared with 

 £5239 in the previous year. 



The catch of herrings, taken chiefly during January in Lochs 

 Glendhu and Cairnbawn, amounted to 7273 cwts. valued at £2614, or 

 31 per cent, and 29 per cent, respectively of the 1919 landings. Most 

 of the winter catch was sold to carrying steamers, and the bulk of the 

 remainder was freshed or cured for home markets. Only 3 curing 

 firms operated in a small way when herrings were cheapest, and fishermen 

 and others cured for domestic use. 



Eighty district boats were employed at herring fishing. Only the 

 Badachro motor-craft operated, with small success, in the Lewis and 

 Skye waters. The highest gross earnings were £240, and the average 

 earnings are estimated at £75. 



The spring cod-net fishing, prosecuted chiefly from Badachro, was, as 



