230 Appendices to Twenty -fifth Annual Report 



Failure of The herring fishing in Loch Broom and Loch Carron and Skye districts 



Sg r [n n Loch h " was Practically a failure. To meet the local consumption cured herrings 

 Broom and were imported from Loch Boisdale and Loch Fyne. The effects of the 

 Loch Carron failure have been felt, not only in the locality, but also in the neighbouring 

 districts 6 j m . districts. Boisterous weather during the latter part of the year dis- 

 portatioii of couraged the fishermen of Loch Broom from operating outside the 

 Cured headlands. For ten years previous to 1904 the herrings had almost 



deserted the loch. In the catch of white fish there is a slight decrease, 

 but an increase in value. Owing to the scarcity of herrings on the Skye 

 coast the attention given to line-fishing was greater than for a series of 

 years back, with the result that the landings show an increase of several 

 thousand cwts. over those of the preceding year. 

 White Fish In Fort- William district there was practically no herring fishing. 

 «at S \lalfaig About three-fourths of the quantity of white fish caught in the district 

 Remunerative were landed at Mallaig. The fleet employed consisted chiefly of sail-boats 

 Earnings by and steamers from East Coast ports. Two of the latter vessels earned 

 Steamers. anf j respectively, while the most successful sail-boat earned 



£360. Stormy weather during the month of February seriously 

 interrupted fishing operations. 

 Early Herring Great preparations were made in Shetland for the early herring fishing 

 SheUand" 1 * n ail ^ c ip at i° n °f another heavy season's work. On the west side of the 

 Poor results, island it was practically a failure ; while at Baltasound, where a large 

 fleet of steamers and boats had congregated, it fell far short of the catch 

 of 1905. At both these stations fishermen, curers, and others interested 

 had a most disappointing and unprofitable season. A number of the 

 Morayshire crews returned home early in July to refit for the summer 

 herring fishing on the East Coast, and although a few had made from 

 £100 to £200, the average earnings per boat for the season would not 

 exceed £30. 



Record Earn- The fleet working from Lerwick did remarkably well — thus, in a 

 working C from mea sure, counterbalancing the falling-off elsewhere. Although the total 

 Lerwick. catch was about one-third less, its value was almost the same as that 

 of the preceding year. The average price per cran was slightly over 26s., 

 as compared with 18s. in 1905. Most of the fishermen, on account of 

 the high prices, had a very remunerative season. The greater share of 

 the season's earnings went to steam drifters from the East Coast and 

 English ports, several of which netted close upon £2000. The native 

 boats met with varied success, the earnings of the best fished being about 

 Unprecedented £1000, while a number averaged over £500. Owing to a fall in the 

 Cure^Herrin s mar ^ et f° r cured herrings at the close of the season, an unusually large 

 on hand at quantity was left in first hands, and at the end of December it was 

 Close of estimated that between twenty and thirty thousand barrels remained to 

 Season. ^ Q ghjppg^ a state of matters almost unprecedented in Shetland, 



^kney Extensive preparations for the herring fishing were also made at 



creasehi Catch Stronsay and other stations on the coast of Orkney. The total catch, 

 of Herring and however, fell short of the previous year's by close upon 6000 crans. In 



S Increase in the Value there WaS an increase of about « £700 °- Tne quality of the 

 Value. herrings throughout was satisfactory. In the quantity of white fish 



landed there was a decrease of 3000 cwts. Lobsters show an increase of 

 52 hundreds, as compared with the previous year's catch. The exten- 

 sion of the pier at Holm was of considerable advantage to the boats dis- 

 charging their catches at that station. 

 Wick District. The early herring fishing at Scrabster was a complete failure. All 

 mtncement of tnou g Q the catch of herrings at Wick was 10,000 crans less than that of 

 Herring 1905, the industry, financially, has not suffered to any great extent, there 

 Fish ede* ted" on ^ a s ^^ n ^ decrease in value. During the past two years a 



Catch in" Juno, general commencement has been made in June. The landings for that 



