vi 



Part 1. — Twenty-fifth Annual Report 



increase in crease in the value of the whole fleet of no less than £812,854, which 

 illustrates in a striking manner the rapid transition going on in the 

 fishing industry of Scotland, whereby small and ineffective vessels 

 are being replaced by larger and more effective boats. At the 

 present time there is no sign of any arrestment of the movement. 

 On the contrary, it is more active than ever. The remunerative 

 herring fishing of the past year has greatly stimulated the move- 

 ment by encouraging enterprising and successful fishermen to 

 invest their earnings in large steam-propelled herring-fishing 

 boats. 



Summary. 



The following Table gives a summary of the means of capture 

 employed, and the resulting catch in Scotland for the last ten 

 years : — 





Number 





Value of 



Total Catch* 



Year. 



of 



Vessels. 



Tonnage. 



Boats and 

 Gear. 



Quantity. 



Value 



1897 



11,633 



111,933 



£ 



1,922,685 



Cwts 

 5,001,672 



1,627,754 



1898 



11,576 



113,557 



2,029,384 



6,558,768 



1,879,866 



1899 



11,245 



114,448 



2,383,776 



5,145,076 



2,189,933 



1900 



11,275 



119,426 



2,711,877 



5,369,265 



2,325,994 



1901 



11,201 



124,639 



3,001,301 



6,385,170 



2,238,310 



1902 



11,097 



131,692 . 



3,212,455 



6,866,028 



2,502,668 



1903 



11,008 



140,531 



3,448,168 



6,518,808 



2,401,287 



1904 



10,891 



140,396 



3,431,284 



7,947,829 



2,231,102 



1905 



10,581 



136,385 



3,304,695 



7,856,310 



2,649,148 



1906 



10,554 



142,081 



4,117,549 



7,593,369 



2,977,593 



* Excluding shell-fish. 



Classification of Vessels employed. 



Of the total of 10,554 vessels employed in the direct work of the 

 Scottish fisheries in 1906, 9,735 (of the value of £916,973), or 92 

 per cent, of the whole, were boats propelled by sails or oars. 

 During the year the number of sailing vessels decreased by 371, 

 which again shows the rapidity with which the small and ill- 



