of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



225 



showed an increase of about .£330,000 over the record value of 1905, and 

 of no less than £570,000 over the average value of the five preceding 

 years. As in former years, herrings accounted for about two-thirds of the 

 total quantity of fish landed and considerably more than half the value. 

 The increased value referred to was almost entirely due to the increased 

 value of herrings, which reached the average price of 23s. Id. per cran, 

 against 17s. 7d. per cran in the previous year. The average price of all 

 other kinds of fish was about the same as in the last few years. 



In neither herrings nor white fish was there any new departure iu the Curing or pro 

 methods of preparing the fish for either home or foreign markets. A fo^j^rkot^* 

 large proportion of the cod, ling, haddocks, &c, landed by trawlers at 

 Aberdeen and Granton are despatched to market in a fresh state ; a con- 

 siderable quantity of haddocks is also smoked, whilst cod and ling are 

 cured dried or filleted, this latter method making fair progress. This 

 part of the industry gives employment to a very large number of people 

 on shore all the year round. 



The herring fishery as a source of employment, of course, overshadows 

 all other branches of the industry while it lasts, but it seldom lasts in 

 any one district much longer than from two to three months, the workers 

 consequently moving along with it to other districts. The gutters and 

 packers alone in a season such as either of the past two would receive as 

 wages and arles nothing less than from £90,000 to £100,000. In 

 addition to the women there is a large number of men employed as 

 coopers, carters, and labourers, who, during the season, earn very good 

 wages. There is no branch of the fishing industry that circulates 

 so much money in the payment of labour as that of the herring 

 fishing. 



It may be of some interest to enter a little more into detail regarding 

 the herring fishing at the East Coast and Orkney aud Shetland districts. 



The fishing was begun in Shetland as early as April, but with very 

 poor results. This early commencement did not meet the wishes of the 

 local fishermen, who attempted to enforce a close time by preventing the 

 stranger fishermen from landing their fish. The forces of law and order 

 were too strong for them, however, and some of them were brought 

 before the Sheriff, with the result that such an attempt is not likely to be 

 made again. About the beginning of June a large tleet of boats had 

 assembled at the west and north stations, and the usual preparations 

 were made to deal with a successful fishing. During that month very 

 poor success was met with, more especially at the west-side stations, 

 where the worst season on record was experienced. The result was that 

 these stations were closed, the fishermen going elsewhere, most of them 

 to the East Coast districts. The Baltasound fleet also met with very 

 poor success during the month of June compared with what was met with 

 in former years, while at Lerwick and the south stations a successful 

 fishing was being made. 



As illustrating the erratic movements of the herrings, it may be stated 

 that during the time when there was a failure of the fishing at the north 

 and west stations of Shetland (where in former years great success was 

 the rule), there was a very successful fishing going on all along the 

 East Coast from Berwick to Wick, with the result that the unprecedented 

 quantity of 160,000 crans were landed in the East Coast districts during 

 the month of June. In no former season had such a quantity been 

 landed at so early a period of the season. The season's catch in Shetland, 

 though a very large one, fell much short of expectations and of prepara- 

 tion. The season ended with a decrease of 187,000 crans compared with 

 the former year's catch, while there was an increase in the amount paid 

 to fishermen of over £24,000. It is iu the district of Shetland that the 



