of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



1 ) A S K TCT-BKANDING. 



In 1906 there were branded at the instance of fishery officers, as Baskets 

 being in conformity with the relative regulations, 37,442 baskets Brandec 

 intended for use in the purchase and sale of fresh herrings, this 

 number exceeding the return for the preceding year by 5 per cent. 



Absorbing as it did nearly one-third of the trade of the year, 

 Leith continues to be the principal centre for the manufacture of 

 quarter-cran baskets, although Aberdeen and Wick occupy 

 prominent positions in the industry. 



CASUALTIES. 



A return is given in Appendix F, No III., of the number of lives 

 lost, and of the pecuniary loss sustained through boats and fishing 

 gear being lost or damaged, in 1906. 



The toll of lives taken by the sea in 1906 was, unhappily, much 

 heavier than in the preceding year, the numbers being 69 and 46 

 respectively. Twenty-eight men went down with their boats. 20 

 fell overboard, eight were knocked overboard or killed by the sail, 

 seven were washed overboard, three were lost in collisions, and the 

 same number in taking harbours. It is a melancholy fact that, in 

 spite of the increased provision on fishing vessels of life-saving 

 appliances, such as life-belts and safety rails, in recent years, the 

 annual roll of lives lost in the prosecution of the fishing industry 

 shows no signs of diminution. 



The number of boats which were totally wrecked was 48, of the 

 total value of £19,667. These figures represent an increase of one 

 in the number of wrecks, but a decrease of over £9,000 in value. 

 The number of boats which sustained damage was 806, the loss 

 involved being £22,108; and the loss sustained through loss of, or 

 damage to, fishing material was £63,949, the total pecuniary loss 

 thus amounting to £105,724, or £8750 less than in 1905. This 

 loss was divided in about equal proportions between the trawling 

 industry and the other branches of the fisheries. 



MAKINE SUPERINTENDENCE. 



The superintendence of the sea fisheries round the coast of Scot- 

 land during the year 1906 was carried out by the "Minna," 

 " Freya," " Brenda," and " Vigilant," the four cruisers belonging to 

 the Board, H.M.S. "Bingdove," and her tender, H.M. cutter 

 "Daisy." H.M.S. "Hussar" was also stationed at Shetland for a 

 short period during the progress of the Great Summer Herring 

 Fishing to maintain order among the great number of British and 

 foreign fishermen and fishing craft concentrated in Baltasound. 

 The superintendence by the Board's cruisers embraced the whole 

 stretch of coast, not only of the Scottish mainland, but of the out- 

 lying groups of islands, including the Hebrides, Orkney, and Shet- 

 land — in all, a considerable area to patrol. Their principal duty 

 was to endeavour to prevent illegal trawling and detect offenders ; 

 but they also had to enforce all the other Sea Fishery Acts and 

 regulations and Board's bye-laws. 



