of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



265 



returned to the island with an average of £8 from the East Coast and 

 Shetland ; 1306 of the foregoing went to England and earned an average 

 of £4. Nine local boats were in England, and earned, on an average, 

 £200 ; 350 hired men, who were also at Yarmouth and Lowestoft, 

 brought home £5 each, on the average. 



There has been no change in the mode of capture of herrings or line or Mode of 

 shell fish. There is a decrease, however, in the number of first-class boats, Capture, 

 three vessels having been transferred to other ports and several having 

 been cancelled as unseaworthy. 



The winter herring fishing was opened on 2nd oi January by a few boats. Winter 

 The fleet of fishing craft was composed, towards the third week of the ^.^^ 

 season, of 130 steam vessels and 45 sailers, the latter being chiefly local 

 craft. The principal fishing grounds during the month of January were 

 in the Minch, from two to five miles off. Weather conditions being 

 rather unfavourable, the result of the four weeks' fishing amounted to 

 only 12,239 crans. In February storms and gales prevailed up to the 

 17th. During the week ended the 24th the best takes for the season 

 were landed from off the Butt, 24 to 28 miles N. W . Takes of 100 crans 

 by steam drifters were frequent, the highest being 171 crans. The 

 following week, ending the 3rd March, also proved favourable, and shots 

 of from 100 to 120 crans were brought in by steam vessels, the highest 

 being 189 crans. One sail boat had 139 crans. The fishing practically 

 closed on the 17th March, by which time nearly all the steam vessels had 

 taken their departure. 25,621 barrels of herrings were cured for export, 

 as compared with 17,861 in the previous winter. The average price per 

 cran was 24s. 4d. ; against 15s. 7d. in 1905. Steam vessels earned an 

 average of £360, against ,£215 the previous season. Sailing boats 

 averaged £100, and the local craft £60. Two steamers were chartered 

 by an Aberdeen firm to carry fresh herrings (iced) in boxes from 

 Stornoway to Hamburg. One of these made only one trip. Weather 

 conditions being very unfavourable during the period the vessels were 

 under charter, the adventure did not prove a success. 



A close time which had been enforced locally for a number of years Karly Summer 

 against the landing of herrings from 10th April to 10th May had been 

 disapproved by the Local Authority, and two steam drifters from the 

 East Coast were engaged for a consideration to break up the arrangement. 

 These vessels came to Stornoway towards the end of April and prosecuted 

 the fishing unmolested. Although a number of steam and sailing vessels 

 were in the harbour early in May, very few ventured to sea before the 

 10th of the month. The fishing fleet, at its largest, consisted of 48 steam 

 vessels and 300 sailers. After a few trials, herrings being scarce, 

 the majority of the former departed for other districts, several going to 

 Ireland. Many of the sailers also took their departure for other ports. 

 Steam vessels that continued to fish from Stornoway till about 15th June, 

 when the season closed, earned an average of =£100 ; sailers, £33, while 

 two had £90 each. The average price per cran was 28s., as compared 

 with 24s. lOd. the previous season. 



Some excellent takes of cod and ling were brought into Stornoway Cod and Ling 

 during the early part of the year by three steam liners hailing from Flsmn g- 

 Aberdeen. Prices ruled at Is. 8d. per fish, for dispatch fresh to the 

 southern markets. Local boats commenced operations in May and 

 continued fishing till August with fair success as compared with previous 

 seasons. Many of the crews cured their own catches and disposed of 

 them, when dried, to local merchants. Prices for dried cod and ling 

 ranged from £22 to £26 per ton. 



Haddocks proved fairly a.bundant during the winter months. A Haddock 

 number of small craft bordering on Broadbay were engaged to curers at Flsmn §- 



