of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



249 



being made to remedy this state of matters. A scheme for deepening the 

 area inside the south breakwater is being discussed by the public. Plans 

 and specifications have been obtained and a Provisional Order procured, 

 and if the Harbour Commissioners can raise the money there is no 

 doubt that this or some similar scheme will be carried out. Within the 

 memory of the present generation fully <£300,000 have been spent on the 

 harbours of Fraserburgh. The instalments on the various loans have been 

 duly paid. 



There was, unfortunately, an increase both in the number of lives lost and Casualties, 

 also in the loss and damage to boats and gear. 



George Cormack, 



Fuller y Officer. 



Frasbreurgh, ith January 1907. 



Banff District. 



Taken as a whole, the year now under review was a prosperous one as General 

 far as fishermen are concerned. No class of the community is more Remarks, 

 prosperous or more deserving of success than the young fishermen of the 

 present day. They carry on their work wiim energy and perseverance, 

 following herring fishing along the coasts of England, Scotland, and 

 Ireland throughout the year, with only a break of a few weeks at a time 

 at home to overhaul their gear and refit their vessels. With the excep- 

 tion of the summer herring fishing, the various fisheries in the district 

 yielded better results than in the previous year, but the general success 

 was again largely achieved at the distant fishing centres. Curers had a 

 fairly prosperous season, as far as the materials at their disposal went. 

 The early herring fishing was unusually good, and, although the regular 

 summer fishing w 7 as very poor, good prices were current for cured fish. 



There was a slight reduction in the number of boats belonging to the Means of 

 district, which is chiefly attributable to several of the older class of Ca P ture ' 

 herring boats having become obsolete. There was, however, a fair 

 addition to steam drifters, with a likelihood of a still further increase. 



Line fishing returns compare favourably with those of the previous Line Fishing, 

 year. Cod and haddocks, particularly the latter, show a considerable 

 increase in quantity, but the value was kept down by the number of 

 small haddocks caught. Fishermen are of opinion that the increase is 

 partly due to the absence of trawlers in the firth. 



The winter herring fishing was practically blank. The catch consisted Winter Her- 

 of a shot of 40 crans landed by a steam drifter returning from Stornoway. «ng Fishing. 



The early herring fishing was very successful — a fortunate circumstance Early Herring 

 for those working the small boats employed at it, especially as later on Fishing, 

 there was a shortcoming in the regular herring fishing, on the success of 

 which these men greatly depend. 



The chief features of the summer herring fishing were the scarcity of Summer Her- 

 herrings in the Moray Firth and the high prices rulingfor green fish. The rill 8' Fishing, 

 success of the early fishing raised expectations of good results, but these 

 were never realised. The fishing opened fairly well early in July, with 

 from 22 to 25 boats engaged. The greatest number engaged was 46. 

 The best week's fishing was that of the week ending 4th August, when 

 1495 crans were landed. After that date little was added to the catch, 

 and the season closed with a total catch of fully 1000 crans less than in 

 1905, which was one of the poorest on record. 



