of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



229 



grounds as in previous seasons — from 20 to 28 miles north-west of the 



Butt of Lewis. Shots of from 100 to 160 crans were quite general. The 



most successful steamer earned £625. The earnings of a number of the 



vessels ranged from £300 to £500, while those of the most successful 



sail-boat were £200. Fur the past two winters the Lewis fishermen have 



not taken advantage of the herriny fishing pros'-cuted on the west side of 



the island. Of the winter's catch, the local craft did not bring in 1000 



crans. A trial was made in forwarding the herrings to the Continent in Trial in 



a fresh state, and a steamer was specially chartered for this purpose; but, forwarding 



, K r «£• | Fresh Herrings 



owing to stormy weather and the irregular prosecution oi the fishing, only to Continents 



one consignment of 1100 boxes was despatched. The venture proved 



un remunerative, and the enterprise had to be abandoned. 



The summer herring fishing opened in May. About the end of April, Stornoway 

 while the herring fishing was being prose uted at Barra, Shetland, and ^SSatSd 16 

 East Coast ports, the native fishermen were asked by the traders of 

 Stornoway to annul the close time, adopted by them some 19 years ago, so 

 as to keep pace with their neighbours; but they refused even a compromise 

 in the matter, with the result that the Town Council of Stornoway, for 

 the good of the community, hired two steam drifters to break through 

 the close time. The results, however, of the herring fishing were most Disappointing 

 disappointing, the greater part of the fleet, particularly the local craft, fjerring° f 

 doing practically little or nothing. There were several stranger curers Fishing, 

 who did not cure a single barrel of herrings, and for curers and kipperers 

 the season was, financially, a bad one. Many fishermen attribute the 

 failure to the prosecution of the winter herring fishing ; but in 1876, long 

 before the winter herring fishing was of such importance, and again in 

 1893 and 1894, there were comparative failures. Others maintain that a 

 proper trial is not being made. For several seasons back, particularly 

 since the Shetland fishing has assumed such dimensions, and more 

 particularly since the introduction of the steamers, the fleet has become 

 erratic in its movements. During the latter part of June, when the 

 Stornoway fishing was generally at its best, only a few of the local craft 

 (second-class boats) now remain on the coast. In 1906, owing to the 

 poor catches obtained, nearly all the native craft proceeded to Shetland Earnings of 

 and the East Coast. Altogether 60 boats had left the district, as against Lewis Fisher- 

 52 in 1905. The majority of these earned £300 per boat. Two of the ^ast Coast, 

 boats earned £440 each. 



On the other hand, the summer herring fishing in Barra district was Barra Herring 

 the most successful experienced since 1870. The average price per cran Fishil) g : 



most successful 



was 31s. 2d., as against 49s. 3d. in 1905. The difference in price was since 1870. 

 due to a heavy fishing which was brought in early in May, and which 

 almost blocked curing operations. In May the shoals were struck in the 

 neighbourhood of the Island of Canna. Although there were several 

 shots caught off St. Kilda which realised from £100 to £200, the 

 Atlantic grounds only yielded very moderate results. In quality, the 

 herrings taken from the Minch grounds were superior to those landed for 

 many years back. Altogether, 140 steamers and 300 sail boats, repre- 

 senting in boats and material upwards of half a-million sterling, were 

 employed in Barra district. The earnings of a number of the steamers 

 ranged from £400 to £480. The fleet working from Loch Boisdale was 

 equally successful, and the local fishermen had a remarkably good season. 

 Several Eriskay boats earned between £600 and £700 ; while a consider- Record 

 able number earned from £300 to £500. With regard to the herring J^^f 8 

 shoals very little is known, but it has been demonstrated that from May (j r gws 

 1905 up to the end of 1906 a large body of herrings has been moving 

 about on grounds in the neighbourhood of Loch Boisdale and the Islands 

 of Canna, Coll, and Tiree ; unfortunately, for weeks on end, the boisterous 

 nature of the weather suspended fishing operations. 



