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Appendices to Thirty-ninth Annual Report 



partial, and while a few craft more than cleared their working expenses, 

 it is feared many failed to do so. The quality up to the end of June 

 was rather poor. Prices ranged from £8, 8s. to as low as 4s. per cran, 

 averaging for the season £2, 16s. 9d. per cran against £3. 7s. 9d. last 

 year. On the 11th June, when the fishing prospects appeared brightest 

 for the season, the East Coast boats ceased fishing, and the bulk of 

 them returned to their home ports owing to the unfavourable decision 

 by the Government regarding a Guarantee Scheme. On the resumption 

 of fishing a fortnight afterwards, a few East Coast boats again returned 

 to the West Coast and continued operations until the 1st September. 

 The fishing ground during this period was within the area between Tiree, 

 Barra Head, Hyskeir and Coll. A considerable shoal of very fine matje 

 herrings was located on these grounds, and the bulk of the boats made 

 a very successful fishing. Prices generally ranged from 40s. to £6, 10s. 

 per cran. During the month of August a fair proportion of the catch 

 wa3 cured gutted and sent to Glasgow for export to the American 

 markets, but the bulk of the catch was sent to the English markets in 

 a fresh state. The summer season ended with a total of 29,855 crans, 

 valued at £84,691. or 8311 crans and £14.603 less than in 1919. Mallaig 

 accounted for 13,255 crans valued at £33,886. and Oban for 16,521 crans 

 valued at £50,611. 



Herring fishing was again resumed at Mallaig in November and 

 continued until the close of the year. The fleet at first was small, but 

 was speedily augmented by boats returning from the English fishing. 

 Herrings were found in most of the Skye Lochs and in Loch Inchard, 

 and some heavy shots were landed. Prices were rather low during 

 November for profitable fishing, as the East Anglian fishing was not 

 yet finished, while railway transport was defective. Herrings sold as 

 low as 5s. per cran, and in several cases crews discharged their catches 

 into the sea rather than deliver herrings at that figure. A number of 

 crews laid up their boats and returned home to the East Coast until 

 prospects improved. Prices ranged chiefly from 5s. to 81s. per cran. 

 The results of lobster fishing showed decreases of 12,128 in number 

 and £1136 in value. 



Fortunately there was no loss of life in connection with the fisheries. 



The Government Herring Guarantee was practically inoperative 

 as regards thi3 district during June and July, because the trade at that 

 time was entirely a freshing one, but at the close of July several East 

 Coast curers commenced curing chiefly for the American markets. 

 The scheme undoubtedly steadied prices to the fishermen. 



The present position of the fishing industry in this district is satis- 

 factory. As the industry is almost entirely a freshing one the future 

 prospects are quite favourable, provided the railway authorities make 

 every endeavour to run special fish trains to the English markets and 

 otherwise facilitate the rapid distribution of herrings, in order that as 

 much of the catch as possible may be disposed of throughout the country 

 in a fresh state. The few herrings cured in pickle are usually intended 

 for the American markets, where there is doubtless room for development. 



New kippering premises are in course of construction at Oban capable 

 of dealing with about 25 crans of herrings per day. Several curers 

 recently endeavoured to secure ground for pickling plots, but were not 

 successful. A syndicate recently endeavoured to develop Tobermory 

 as a fishing centre, but as yet no progress has been made. 



James Young, 

 Fishery Officer. 



Fishery Office, 

 Oban, 18M January 1921. 



