240 



Appendices to Twenty-fifth Annual Report 



Boatbuilding. The demand for sailing craft is meantime at a standstill, but orders for 

 the construction of ten steam drifters and one trawler for owners residing 

 in other districts have been placed in the hands of shipbuilders at 

 Dundee. 



A new steam drifter for this district has been contracted for at 

 Aberdeen. 



Barrels. Barrel -making was actively carried on, and coopers have bright 



prospects of constant employment for some time to come. Nearly 12,000 

 empty barrels were dispatched to various ports on the Scottish and 

 English coasts. 



Casualties. Eleven fishermen lost their lives at sea, and one boat appeared twice in 

 the casualty list. 



In the first instance the boat was caught in a north-east gale while 

 riding at her nets about 25 miles north of Eoula. She was struck by a 

 heavy sea which carried two men overboard and broke the boat adrift 

 from her nets. Later on in the season, about the middle of July, this 

 same boat was caught in a gale on her passage home from Shetland, 

 and neither boat nor crew of seven men were again heard of. 



The other two lives lost were those of fishermen who were killed by the 

 mast breaking and falling upon them. 



The loss and damage to boats and gear were considerably greater than 

 last year. 



Wm. Nisbet, 



Montrose, 7th January 1907. Fishery Officer. 



Stonehaven District. 



General 

 Remark* 



Means of 

 Capture. 



Summer 

 Herring 

 Fishing. 



Shetland and 

 English Her- 

 ring Fishings. 



Haddock 

 Fishing. 



After a number of unprofitable and gradually declining years in this 

 district, it is highly satisfactory to have to record substantial increases 

 in both the herring and line fisheries for 1906. A comparison with last 

 year's figures shows an aggregate increase of 8298 cwts. in quantity 

 and £4417 in value. 



No changes of any note have occurred in the tonnage and value of 

 fishing vessels, and the fishing material remains practically the same as 

 last year. 



At Stonehaven the summer herring fishing was prosecuted by a small 

 fleet of about 20 sail boats. The crews worked energetically during the 

 months of July and August, and had a remunerative return for their 

 season's work. Owing to the keen and increasing demand for cured 

 herrings, the prices obtained on delivery were fairly high. Herrings were 

 much more plentiful on the offshore than on the inshore fishing grounds, 

 and owing to this circumstance, and the prevalence of calm weather, a 

 number of the crews were often unable to reach harbour in good time. 

 When, however, the weather conditions suited, good catches were regu- 

 larly landed. 



Curing for export accounted for the greater portion of the herring 

 catch, but kippering and freshing for the home markets were also carried 

 on. 



A small number of local crews prosecuted the early herring fishing at 

 Shetland, and were moderately successful. Eleven sail buats also proceeded 

 to Scarborough and Grimsby after the close of the local summer fishing. 

 The crews' earnings were only fair, averaging about £154 per boat, the 

 highest being £282. 



Haddock fishing was more successful than in 1905, the returns show- 

 ing an increase of 5082 cwts. in quantity and £1712 in value. The 

 bulk of the increase fell to Stonehaven. A marked and gradual decline, 



