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Appendices to Twenty-fifth Annual Report 



APPENDIX M. 



REPORTS BY THE INSPECTORS OF SEA FISHERIES AND 

 DISTRICT FISHERY OFFICERS. 



I. — Inspectors of Sea Fisheries. 

 (J-eneral Inspector of Sea Fisheries. 



General The marvellous progress and prosperity which have attended the 



Remarks. Scottish fisheries during the past few years have not only been maintained, 

 but considerably increased, during the year 1906. The results of the 

 year under review, when compared with those of the preceding year, show 

 a small falling off in the quantity of fish landed, but a very substantial 

 increase in the sum paid to fishermen, which probably is the best proof 

 of increased prosperity. 



When comparing the quantity and value of fish landed in 1906 with 

 the average quantity and value for the preceding five years, it is found 

 that the former exceed the latter by no less than half a million cwts.,and 

 considerably more than half a million pounds. 



A closer examination of the statistics shows that this remarkable pros- 

 perity is attributable chiefly to the herring fishing. The herring fishing of 

 1905, though somewhat less productive than in some former years, 

 exceeded in value the previous best on record by fully one hundred thousand 

 pounds. The season of 1906 has produced a still higher record, and 

 that with a reduced catch, the increase in value being fully three hundred 

 thousand pounds, while the decrease in quantity amounts to over one 

 hundred thousand crans compared with the preceding year. 



The other (trawl and line) fishings, though not showing such a 

 remarkable development, still continue to make steady progress both in 

 quantity and value. During 1906 the quantity of all kinds offish landed 

 other than herrings shows an increase of one hundred and thirty thousand 

 cwts over the year 1905, and an increase of three hundred and sixty 

 thousand cwts. upon the average landings of the previous five years. 

 There has not, however, been a corresponding increase in value. 

 The value of fish landed during 1906 shows an increase of only a little 

 over twenty thousand pounds. About the same proportion applies to the 

 increase in value over the average value of the preceding five years. The 

 average price for trawl and line-caught fish shows very little variation 

 in any of the years from 1900 onwards, the price per cwt. keeping 

 steadily at about ten shillings or thereabouts. In no year does the average 

 price per cwt. drop below ten shillings, but in one or two of these 

 years the price reaches a few pence over that sum. In few industries 

 does the value of goods vary so much in the course of a single year as do 

 the prices of the fish landed from the trawl and line fishings. One week 

 fish may be at famine prices, and next week the fish so plentiful that 

 they are sometimes unsaleable except as manure. However that may be, 

 the average annual price per cwt. remains about the same year after 

 year. 



