of the Fisher;/ Board for Scotland. 



269 



buyers to fishermen. Compared with those of former years, prices have 

 greatly increased. Formerly, cod sold at 9d. each, ling 9d., saithe 2|d , 

 roker or small skate 3d , and conger 9d. ; while this year cod realised 

 Is. 6d., ling Is. 10d., saithe lOd , roker Is., conger Is. 6d. The increase 

 in value is due solely to the steamer service pat on by the Congested 

 Districts Board between parts of the district and Kyle of Lochalsh. Nine 

 buyers of fresh fish operated, instead of three as in 1905. Auction sales 

 were also commenced, and the old system of engagements entirely 

 abandoned. Fishermen at Gairloch highly appreciate the steamer service, 

 and expressions of gratitude to the Congested Districts Board are not 

 wanting. 



With the exception of a small cargo of herrings exported to Norway no Fish Exported, 

 fish were exported. 



Compared with the results for 1905, the catch and value of lobsters and Shell-fish 

 crabs show a decrease, due no doubt to the extremely stormy weather Flshenes - 

 prevailing during the best lobster fishing months. 



Although the waters adjacent to this district are simply teeming with 

 good marketable crabs, and the assistance of the Congested Districts Board 

 has been offered to the inhabitants in the shape of sample crab creels and 

 a regular steamer service, they will not be induced to prosecute crab 

 fishing as East Coast fishermen do. The men maintain that it is not 

 profitable, basing their argument upon the poor results which have 

 attended the sending to market of crabs taken in lobster creels. These 

 crabs are, however, taken during the very worst crab-fishing months, both 

 as regards the condition of the fish -and the demand prevadiug for them 

 in the southern markets. Besides, lobster creels are set quite near the 

 shore, where only empty and immature crabs are caught. Whelk 

 gathering gave employment to a considerable number of people during 

 the spring months. 



The barometers at Ullapool and Badachro are in good working order. 



Alex. M'Kenzib. 



Fishery Office, 

 Ullapool, 1st February 1907. 



Lochcarron and Skye District. 



The principal features of the district fisheries were the failure of the General 

 summer and the autumn herring fishings and the further development of Remarks, 

 the mackerel fishing. The returns of the other branches of the industry 

 are about the average and show little variation from those of the preceding 

 year. 



The number and tonnage of boats and the area of netting again exhibit Means of 

 a considerable decrease. This falling-off is entirely due to the failure of Ca P ture ° 

 the herring fishing in the Skye lochs during the past few years. A number 

 of the fishermen unable to obtain a livelihood at home emigrated to the 

 colonies, others went away as sailors, while others went to our large cities 

 and found employment there. Their boats were left beached, with the 

 result that they became unseaworthy. Within the past five years there 

 has been a decrease of about 100 boats. 



The summer herring fishing was commenced early in July by a fleet of Summer 

 about 80 boats. The fishermen persevered for about a month on the^™£ 

 usual fishing grounds, but as their efforts were attended with little or no 

 success, and as there were no indications of herrings being on the 

 grounds, they ceased operations and a number of crews beached their 

 boats for a season. The results of the fishing are the poorest on record. 



