of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



xv 



and, in consequence, the herrings became meshed so firmly that 

 much difficulty was experienced in shaking them free of the nets. 

 As a result of the experiment, the owner of the nets ordered a full 

 drift — composed, however, of heavier twine — to be delivered in 

 time to admit of its employment in the prosecution of the West 

 Coast herring fishing ; and it will be interesting to note whether, 

 under this modified condition, the nets prove to be sufficiently 

 superior to those at present in use to justify the matter being 

 carried beyond the experimental stage. 



Through the kindness of the Congested Districts Board, who Cutch v. 

 agreed, on certain conditions, to bear the expense involved, it was Tanmc ^ 

 found possible, during the year, to carry out an experiment 

 suggested by the Caithness Fishermen's Association with the view 

 of determining the respective merits of tannic acid and cutch as 

 preservatives of herring drift nets. Two new nets, bought for the 

 purpose, were barked by Dr T. Wemyss Fulton, the Scientific 

 Superintendent of the Board — the one with tannic acid and the 

 other with cutch — and these were tested at the English herring 

 fishing by the master of the motor fishing boat " Pioneer," who 

 furnished a report on the result, dated 1st December, a copy of 

 which will be found under Appendix Q, p 287. From a perusal of 

 this report, it will be seen that the result of the test was to demon- 

 strate the relative superiority of cutch as a preserving agent, 



IT. Steam Fishing Vessels (other than Beam 

 and Otter Trawlers). 



The following Table shows, for each of the last 8 years, the num- 

 ber, tonnage and value of the Scottish steam vessels employed 

 (excepting in the case of several mussel dredgers) in drift-net and 

 long-line iishing, the value of their fishing gear, and the number of 

 men and boys by whom they were manned, as well as the respective 

 percentages of increase : — 





Vessels. 



Fishing Gear. 



Men and Boys 

 Employed.* 



Year. 



3 



bage 

 ease. 



CD 



CD CD 

 e3 cj 



CD 





¥3 



cd 





iase. 



b 



CD CD 

 $ S 





,o 



:-cen 

 Incr 



ci 



c 



s§ 



CD 



sg 





53 



CD 



11 





3 



CD <H 



Ph o 



o 

 EH 



CD „_ 



en o 





PH O 



'cl 



CD 



— o 





CD 



o 



1899 - - 



44 





944 





£ 



82,780 





£ 



7,346 





363 





1900 • - 



70 



59 



1,865 



98 



145,490 



76 



17,648 



140 



588 



62 



1901 - - 



97 



39 



2,684 



44 



200,910 



38* 



26,316 



49 



814 



38 



1902 - - 



100 



3 



2,900 



8 



205,620 



2 



28,990 



10 



829 



2 



1903 - - 



156 



56 



4,025 



39 



355,915 



73 



45,089 



56 



1,296 



56 



1904 - - 



204 



31 



5,161 



28 



453,095 



27 



59,596 



32 



1,639 



26 



1905 - ■ 



209 



2 



5177 





452,080 





64,327 



8 



1,747 



7 



1906- - 



274 



31 



6,538 



26 



608,060 



35 



96,588 



50 



2,347 



34 



Including non-resident men. N.B.— The vessels returned include several mussel dredgers, 



