xviii Part I. — Tiventy -fifth Annual Report 



three boats employed in the line fishing from J anuary to April, 

 and much success attended the operations of the fleet at both the 

 Great Summer herring fishing and the fishing off the English 

 coast. While neither of the two latter fishings yielded any takes 

 of particularly large size, their prosecution — owing to the high 

 prices obtained for fresh herrings — proved to be profitable alike 

 for the owners of the vessels and the fishermen by whom they were 

 worked. 



Banff District. In consequence of the success attending the operations of steam 

 drifters in 1905, the number of vessels comprising the Banff 

 District fleet was doubled during the year under review. 



As obtained in the case of 1905, remarkably good results were 

 yielded by the various herring fishings in which the fleet was 

 employed. About two- thirds of the catch was secured off Shetland 

 and the English coast, while the remainder was contributed by the 

 Stornoway and East Coast fishings ; and, although, in the case of 

 the latter fishings, the quantities of herrings landed were relatively 

 small, this fact was counterbalanced by the remunerative prices 

 generally received. Indeed, the high level of prices constituted a 

 feature of the year's operations. 



Steam drifters are increasing in popularity in the district, and 

 many of the fishermen, satisfied that their employment is necessary 

 for the successful prosecution of the fishing under modern condi- 

 tions, are arranging for acquiring them, and a much larger number 

 would be ordered but for the difficulty experienced by the fisher- 

 men in disposing of their sailing craft. 



Peterhead The results of the operations of the steam drifters, compared 

 with those of the sailing boats, belonging to Peterhead District 

 afforded further evidence of the advantage conferred by the employ- 

 ment of steam in the prosecution of the fishing industry, more 

 especially during calms or stormy weather, or where harbours are 

 difficult of approach. In none of the fishings engaged in was this 

 advantage more apparent than in the case of the fishing prosecuted 

 off the English coast, more particularly from Yarmouth and Lowes- 

 toft. As a consequence of the success obtained at the various 

 herring fishings, and the high prices realised, a decided impetus 

 was given to the construction of steam drifters, the number of 

 vessels under contract for local capitalists at the close of the year 

 being estimated at not less than thirty. It is also worchy of note, 

 as marking a further stage in the development of this branch of 

 the industry, that efforts are being made outside the limits of the 

 district to float a Company for the purpose of supplying vessels of 

 this class to those fishermen who have little or no capital at their 

 disposal. 



First Quarter. During the first three months of the year lines, as well as nets, 

 were carried on board the majority of the vessels comprising the 

 district fleet, but none of the former were employed excepting on 

 those occasions on which herrings were found to be scarce. The 

 area of operations was limited to the waters off the West Coast, and 

 the larger proportion of the herrings taken was landed at Storno- 

 way ; but, although that port was also the landing place for a 

 certain proportion of the line-caught fish, the best takes of these 

 were forwarded to Aberdeen, where there was a more remunerative 

 market. 



