of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



xvii 



may lead to disastrous results, in the event of the fishings during 

 a season proving a failure, or even a catch of average dimensions 

 being associated with low prices. 



The earnings of the Findhorn District fleet exceeded those of any Findhorn 

 year since the adoption of steam drifters in the district, and, as Dl3trlct 

 was the case in 1905, by far the larger proportion of the earnings 

 was made a t the Great Summer and English herring fishings. The 

 excess was not, however, the result of an increase in the catch of 

 herrings, but is referable to the extremely high prices received. 



It is expected — no doubt, to a large extent, as a consequence of 

 the success obtained during the year — that, in the course of 1907, 

 the existing fleet will be augmented by the addition of more than 

 20 vessels, a proportion of which, it is intended, shall be con- 

 structed in the district. This augmentation would be greater, but 

 for, on the one hand, the difficulty experienced in disposing of 

 the fishermen's sailing boats, and, on the other, the inability of 

 the builders to undertake delivery of the vessels ordered before the 

 expiry of nine or ten months. 



Of the success met with during the year by the Wick District Wick 

 fleet, by far the larger proportion was gained in the prosecution of Dlstnct - 

 the Great Summer and English herring fishings, and that not so 

 much as a result of the abundance of fish as of the high level at 

 which prices were maintained. 



As the earnings made at the winter herring fishing were small, 

 and in previous years these had been scarcely large enough to 

 meet the outlay incurred, the owners of several of the drifters con- 

 template laying up their vessels during the two months in which 

 the fishing is prosecuted, viz., January and February. 



Gratifying success was met with at the various herring fishings Anstruther 

 in which the Anstruther District fleet was employed, and the mean District, 

 gross earnings realised were the highest recorded for the district. 

 This success did not, however, extend to the prosecution of the 

 line fishing, the results of which were unsatisfactory, although 

 slightly less so than in the preceding year. 



The average gross earnings at the Great Summer herring fishing 

 amounted to £1045, or nearly three times as much as those of the 

 district sailing boats — about £380 ; while there was an even 

 greater disparity between the mean total earnings of the two 

 classes of craft at the herring fishing off the English coast, those of 

 the steam-driven vessels reaching £710, and those of the sailers 

 amounting to only £200. 



During the year four vessels were added to the fleet, and at its 

 close orders had been given for the construction of about twenty, 

 by crews belonging to Cellardyke, Pittenween, and St. Monance. 



Viewed as a whole, fairly good results were obtained from the Helmsdale 

 operations of the nine steam drifters constituting the Helmsdale Dlstrict - 

 District fleet, but, considered in detail, the results were unequal. 



In no instance were the earnings derived from participation in 

 the winter herring fishing of sufficient amount to cover the outlay 

 incurred ; the prosecution of the West Coast herring fishing was 

 not attended with success, and complete failure was met with at 

 the early Shetland fishing. 



On the other hand, fair earnings were secured in the case of 

 b 



