of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



xxv 



especially during the great summer and winter fishings, with the 

 result that the total earnings reached the unprecedented total of 

 £1,649,163 or nearly 23 per cent, in advance of the total value 

 for 1905, which, in its turn, was almost 32 per cent, higher than 

 that obtained for the record catch of 1904. Towards the increase 

 in the total value, the great summer fishing contributed about 62 

 per cent, and the early summer fishing over 34 per cent. Of the 

 total landings, the East Coast contributed over 54 per cent., D^ribution of 

 Orkney and Shetland about 35 per cent., and the West Coast theyaiue. 

 remainder, while, in respect of value, the corresponding percent- 

 ages were 49, 39, and 12. The higher relative prices thus indicated 

 for Orkney and Shetland were attributable in a great measure to 

 the greater number of steam drifters employed in these districts — 

 vessels which, of course, are able to get to market earlier than 

 sailing vessels, and with the fish in better condition. Of individual 

 contributors, Shetland District, with a catch of over 1,600,000 

 cwts., again easily took first place, the next in order being Fraser- ^^^ al 

 burgh and Peterhead, each with considerably less than half that Contributors, 

 quantity. Other prominent contributors on the East Coast were 

 Wick and Aberdeen, while, on the West Coast, Stornoway and 

 Barra were accountable for nearlv 63 per cent, of the landings. 



Summing up the results of the herring fishing for 1906, it may I^S! 7 ° f 

 be stated that it was very satisfactory to the fishermen and shore- 

 workers (especially the gutters and packers), but that, with a fall- 

 ing market towards the close of the season, the curers may not 

 have found the year so remunerative as they could have desired. 



Great Summer Herring Fishing. 



This, the most important of the three great herring fishings, Quantity and 

 covers the period from 1st July to 31st December. In the year Value - 

 under review the fishing was a successful one, for, although the 

 catch of 3,421,285 cwts. fell short of that of 1905 by over 635,000 

 cwts., the total amount realised — £1,217,901 — was over £189,000 

 in advance of that of the preceding year. The falling-off in the 

 catch was referable almost entirely to Orkney and Shetland, for a 

 slight decrease on the West Coast was more than counterbalanced 

 by an increase on the East Coast ; while the bulk of the large 

 increase in value fell to the East Coast districts, and was attributable 

 not alone to the facts that fish were plentiful and prices higher 

 than in 1905, but also to the fact that, owing to the comparative 

 failure of the fishing on the west side of Shetland, a larger fleet 

 than usual assembled in the earlier portion of the season. As this 

 fishing is prosecuted mainly on the East Coast and in Orkney and Distribution of 

 Shetland, these sections contributed the bulk of the catch. As and 

 already indicated, the Shetland fishing was not so successful as in 

 the preceding year, so that instead of furnishing, as it did in 1905, 

 nearly half the total summer catch, it contributed little more than 

 one-third. The most successful districts on the East Coast were 

 Fraserburgh, Peterhead, Aberdeen, Wick, and Eyemouth, which 

 together were credited with 90 per cent, of the catch, but of these 

 only Aberdeen and Eyemouth showed improved results as com- 

 pared with 1905. 



