228 Appendices to Twenty-fifth Annual Report 



Assistant Inspector of Sea Fisheries. 



General The general results of the various fisheries for the year 1906 in the 



Remarks. groups of districts which extend from Buckie to Shetland on the North- 

 east Coast, and from Stornoway to Fort-William on the West Coast, 

 were fairly satisfactory. In the means of capture the chief feature of the 

 industry was the steady development of the steam drifter. In two of the 

 districts (Buckie and Find horn) 29 vessels were built at a cost of about 

 £75,000, Taking into account those in course of construction and those 

 for which orders have been placed, the total for the coming year will 

 greatly exceed this number. The boat-building industry has been ex- 

 ceptionally brisk, all the builders having had their hands full. An 

 element that tends to retard a still further development of the 

 industry is the inability of builders to cope with the orders received. 

 No orders for this class of vessel have been placed in the hands 

 of builders by West Coast fishermen, but a commencement has been made 

 in this direction by Shetland owners. Owing to the high prices obtained 

 for herrings, the season — for fishermen — has been one of great prosperity. 

 Line-fishing, particularly in the upper reaches of the Moray Firth, was 

 prosecuted with a large measure of success. Haddocks, which had almost 

 deserted the line-fishing grounds on the east and west coasts, were more 

 abundant than for many years back. Fishermen attribute the success of 

 this fishing in the Moray Firth to the closing of these waters against 

 foreign trawlers. On the Shetland coast the line fishermen sustained a 

 heavy loss of gear, which, together with stormy weather and a 

 scarcity of bait, rendered the line-fishing a comparatively unremunerative 

 one. In the catch of cod on the Caithness coast there is a con- 

 siderable increase as compared with that of 1905. In consequence 

 of the high prices obtained for herrings, hired hands, who were paid on 

 the share system, secured substantial earnings, many West Coast fishermen 

 having brought home from £20 to £i0. The general adoption of the 

 steam drifter is lessening the demand for hired hands, and the supply of 

 such labour was far in excess of the requirements — so much so, indeed, 

 that upwards of two hundred Lewis fishermen had to return home without 

 engagements. Formerly, many of the sail-boats from Buckie and else- 

 where were owned by one or two individual fishermen, the remainder of 

 the crew being made up of hired hands. The falling-off in the demand 

 for hired hands, along with a poor fishing in several of the West Coast 

 districts, has induced large numbers to emigrate. Every season it is 

 becoming more apparent to the fishermen of the east and west coasts 

 that the prosecution of the English herring fishing is not to be neglected. 

 The number of boats which proceeded to Yarmouth and Lowestoft was 

 larger than in any previous year ; but, owing to a shortage in the catch of 

 herrings, the earnings of fishworkers were slightly under those of last 

 year. Coopers were fully employed during the spring and winter months, 

 and satisfactory wages were earned by them. 



With regard to the herring fishing on the West Coast, although 

 Stornoway and Loch Broom districts had largely decreased catches as 

 compared with those of 1905, at Barra and Loch BMsdale the fishing was 

 the most successful which has been experienced since 1870. 

 WmterHerring The winter herring fishing at Stornoway has now become of more 

 Fishing. importance than the summer herring fishing. The total landings were 

 40,717 crans. The fleet engaged was mostly composed of steamers from 

 East Coast ports — the highest number working in one week being 130 

 and of sailers, 53. Of the latter number, about one-half were local boats. 

 The shoals, which were particularly heavy, were struck upon the same 



