of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



233 



Within recent years the telegraph cahle in connection with the Outer Inauguration 

 Hebrides has so often broken down that the Post Office Department gy^emwlth 

 decided to erect a Marconi wireless station at Loch lk>isdale, to connect Outer 

 with a similar station at Tobermory. Hebrides. 



John Skinner, 

 Assistant Inspector of Sea Fisheries. 



Inverness, 7th January 1907. 



II. — East Coast. 

 Eyemouth District. 



The principal feature of the year's operations was the unprecedented General 

 success of the summer herring fishing. Including the winter fishing, Remark?, 

 which was about an average one, the aggregate landings of herrings 

 showed an increase of 20,244 crans as compared with the catch of 1905, 

 which had been a record year. To curers the summer fishing proved 

 highly satisfactory, but unfortunately losses, more or less serious, were 

 sustained by those who extended their operations to Yarmouth and 

 Lowestoft. Success attended the efforts of the fishermen both at the home 

 and other herring fishiugs, several crews having aggregate earnings of 

 over <£2000, the estimated average earnings per crew being £755. 

 These figures speak well for the energy and enterprise of the fishermen. 

 Although fewer boats engaged in line fishing in the Scottish section of 

 the district, the returns were slightly above those for 1905, while the 

 English section exhibited a decrease. 



The changes in the means of capture were few and unimportant. Means ot 

 Four second-hand boats of the first class were transferred from the Capture. 

 Scottish to the English section of the district, while two new boats of the 

 same class were added to the Eyemouth fleet. Recognising the 

 advantages of steam power, Eyemouth fishermen have placed orders for 

 the construction of three steam drifters, two of which are to be built at 

 Eyemouth. One is now ready for launching, and will be the first steam 

 fishing vessel belonging to the district. 



The winter herring fishing, which continued during the first three Winter Her- 

 months of the year, was prosecuted almost exclusively by local crews. Fishing. 

 The principal fishing grounds were from 2 to 15 miles off St. Abbs. As 

 contrasted with the previous year's, the returns exhibited a decrease of 

 1368 crans in quantity, but an increase of .£772 in value. Prices 

 ranged from 10s. 6d. to 48s. per cran, with an average of 24s. 9d., as 

 compared with 21s. 8d. in 1905. A new departure in this fishing was 

 the curing and exporting of about 500 barrels of the catch. 



A most successful fishing was landed during the month of June by a K ar i y Herring 

 fleet of over 40 boats. T!ie quality, however, was poor, the average price Fishing, 

 being only 9s. 2d. per cran. Even at this early date over 1200 barrels 

 were cured and exported, but the venture was not altogether a 

 successful one. 



Following the good results obtained during June, the fishing continued Summer Her- 

 with unbroken success up till the middle of September, the only draw- ring Fishing, 

 back being a prevalence of calm weather, which prevented the boats from 

 making daily landings. The quality throughout was very inferior, 

 but fortunately the demand for cured herrings was keener than usual, so 

 that prices both for cured and fresh fish were well maintained. The 

 average price per cran was 14s., as compared with 15s in 1905. The 

 principal fishing grounds were from 5 to 20 miles N.E. of the Fame 

 Islands. The total landings from 1st June of 107,068 crans constituted 



