of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



251 



A remarkable feature of the year has been the considerable increase Means of 

 in the number of steam drifters. During the past four or five years about Ca P ture - 

 a hundred steam drifters, involving an expenditure of fully a quarter 

 of a million sterling, have been added to the fleet. The number of sail- 

 ing boats is gradually decreasing, and upwards of 50 zulu boats are at 

 present being offered for sale. The leading theme of conversation 

 among fishermen is the steamer versus the sailing boat question, and it is 

 the general opinion that in a few years the steam fishing vessels will 

 supersede the sailing craft, as they are better adapted for fishing, not only 

 in calm but in rough weather, while in addition they provide greater 

 comfort generally to fishermen. The wooden-built vessels are most 

 favoured, as they are considered more buoyant at sea and better to live in 

 than the iron-built vessels. Netting shows an increase in area, as steam s 

 drifters possess a larger quantity of nets than sailing boats. The extra 

 hands employed on board these vessels are accountable for the slight in- 

 crease in the number of fishermen. 



The winter herring fishing was of little account, the catch showing a Herring- 

 decrease of 1132 crans when contrasted with that of 1905. Fishing. 



The early summer herring fishing started much earlier than usual, 

 owing to the comparative failure of the Stornoway fishing and the early 

 fishing at Shetland. In June the fishing was very successful, and the 

 total catch amounted to 5574 crans more than that of 1905. The 

 quality was fairly good, the herrings being matjies resembling those 

 caught on the West Coast. The average price per cran was 15s., against 

 10s. in the preceding year. 



The great summer herring fishing was carried on for a time by 30 sailing 

 boats, but they were gradually attracted by the larger catches and higher prices 

 obtained at Fraserburgh, Peterhead, and Shetland, so that by the end of 

 July the catch entirely depended upon steam drifters coming home for the 

 week-ends to coal. The season closed with a decrease of 1519 crans as 

 compared with the catch for 1905. The herrings landed were of mixed 

 quality, containing a large proportion of spent fish. The average price per 

 cran was 18s., against 14s. 3d. in the preceding year. 



Both the sailing boats and steam drifters had a most successful season 

 at the East Coast and Shetland fishings. The amount of the gross 

 earnings of the district boats during that period was estimated at about 

 £230,000, and this sum will long be remembered as one of the most 

 remarkable in the history of the Scottish herring fishing. 



The cod and ling fishing was not prosecuted to any great extent, and, Cod and Ling 

 although the catch of cod was greater than in 1905, that was due to larger Fls hmg. 

 quantities having been landed by the small and hand line boats. 



The haddock fishing is the principal industry carried on in the district. Haddock 

 In the early part of the year the fishing was attended with poor results, * lshlD S- 

 but during the summer and autumn months the catches were the best 

 landed for many years. This improvement was attributed by fishermen 

 to non-trawling by foreigners during that period. The year's catch shows 

 an increase of 933 cwts. upon that of 1905. 



Owing to the fact that the herrings landed were unsuitable for the Branding, 

 official crown brand, consisting as they did chiefly of fish with undeveloped 

 milt or roe and sea-salted herrings, the brandings for the year were 

 the poorest on record. 



The bulk of the season's cure was shipped coastwise or sent by rail to Exportation. 

 Leith for the Continental markets, the fishcurers preferring to consign their 

 herrings to Russian ports rather than sell them on the spot. 



Owing to the non-success of the fishing in 1905, only 40 boats went Irish Herring 

 to the north-west coast of Ireland herring fishing. Again very little success Flshin g- 

 was attained, and had it not been for the extraordinarily high prices 

 realised for the fish caught, the venture would not have cleared expenses. 



