of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



xlvii 



HERRING BRANDING. 



(1) Barrels of Herrings (a) Presented for, and 

 (b) Refused Brand. 



During 1906, 318,192 barrels of cured herrings— or 92,277i less 

 than in the preceding year — were presented to Fishery Officers 

 for examination with the view of being branded if found to be in 

 accordance with the Board's requirements, while 12,1 52^, or 3 82 

 per cent, of the number submitted, were adjudged to be below 

 the standard of the brand, compared with 15,519J, or 3*78 per 

 cent., in 1905. 



Looked at from the standpoint of the different brands, the 

 Mattie is debited with the highest proportion of barrels — amounting 

 to 5*79 per cent. — submitted for examination which were not 

 conform to the regulations, while, from the point of view of the 

 fishery districts, the percentage of rejections was highest in the 

 case of Findhorn, against which there is recorded 27 '08 per cent., 

 the second place being taken by Buckie, with 18*39 per cent., and 

 the third by Montrose, with 16*66 per cent. 



(2) Barrels Branded. 



During the year the Crown brand was applied to 306,033J Barrels 

 barrels of cured herrings, a less number than was branded in 1905 Branded - 

 by 23 per cent. This decrease is attributable to a variety of Decrease from 

 circumstances, among which may be mentioned the large shortages 1905 : Cause - 

 in the quantities of herrings landed in the districts of Shetland 

 and Wick during August, the month in which the fish caught are 

 most suitable for the brand, and the increasing annual proportion 

 of the season's catch which is taken during June and the earlier 

 portion of July, when the produce of the fishing is not capable of 

 being kept in good condition for a length of time sufficient to meet 

 the requirements of the Continental markets, and which is, 

 accordingly, not eligible for the brand. 



Of the total number of barrels which received the Board's Allocation, 

 imprimatur, the unusually large proportion of 28 per cent, was of 

 such superior quality as to merit the premier brand, the Full 

 brand was granted to 24 per cent., 14 per cent, was accorded the 

 Mat. Full brand, the Spent brand was impressed on 16 per cent., 

 and 18 per cent, was branded Mattie. 



The number of barrels which attained the standard of the La. Full Brand. 

 La. Full brand exceeded the return for 1905 by only 2 per cent. 

 As usual, by far the largest proportion — amounting in this instance 

 to 84 per cent. — was branded in Shetland, while, in the order 

 given, Peterhead, Fraserburgh, Orkney, and Wick were the only 

 other districts in which the brand was applied to any appreciable 

 extent. 



Of the number of barrels accorded the Full brand — which was Fail Brand, 

 fewer by 21 per cent, than the number returned for 1905 — the 

 larger proportions were branded, in the order specified, in the 



