274 Appendices to Twenty-fifth Annual Report 



Means of 

 Capture. 



Herring 



Coring. 



Mackerel 



Fishing. 



Line and Cod 

 net Fishing. 



Owing to the continued depression in the fishing industry, a number of 

 fishermen, belonging chiefly to Upper Loch Fyne creeks, were obliged to 

 seek other employment, and this entirely accounts for the decrease 

 recorded in the area of both drift and seine netting. The number of 

 small-Hues employed also shows a decrease, while a greater number of 

 great-lines and cod-nets were in use. Two new boats were added to the 

 district fleet, but this was more than counterbalanced by the cancellation 

 of ten others from the register. The majority of the boats struck off the 

 register were sold to various West Coast stations. 



On the results of the herring fishing the majority of the fishermen 

 depend, so that the failure of the past season, following upon that of the 

 one immediately preceding it, must be keenly felt in the district. 



The season commenced in the early part of May, the fleet engaged 

 consisting of 160 boats, compared with 180 in 1905. From the opening 

 day it was quite apparent that few herrings were in the loch, and 

 throughout the whole season only small shoals were met with. 



In the upper reaches the total catch amounted to only 250 crans, but, if 

 the quantity was small, the quality was quite equal to that of former 

 years, and prices ranged from 40s. to 97s. 6d. per cran. The majority of 

 the landings from Lower Loch Fyne were secured in the vicinity of 

 Ardlamont, while fully 1000 crans were caught outside the boundaries of 

 the district. These fish were generally of poor quality, and the price per 

 cran varied from 5s. to 30s. Up till the middle of August the majority 

 of the crews had not earned sufficient to meet expenses, and, in some case3, 

 the earnings per man were less than £\. 



Fortunately, about this time herrings appeared on the east side of 

 Arran, and practically the whole fleet left for that quarter. Thereafter, 

 except during a fortnight in October, operations were carried on in various 

 parts of the Clyde — principally Greenock and Ballantrae districts — until 

 the close of the year. The total catch for the season amounted to 5258 

 crans, and the value £5907, compared with 4672 crans and <£7525 

 respectively for the previous year. The average prise for the respective 

 years was 22s. 6d. and 32s. 3d. per cran. 



Curing operations were, as usual, carried on at Tarbert and Ardrishaig, 

 the number of barrels of herrings treated in this manner being 2323, 

 compared with 304 in 1905. About one-fourth of the quantity cured was 

 brought in a fresh state by carrying steamers from other districts. 



All were done up for the home markets, where the demand, especially 

 in the Western Highlands, was very keen. Prices varied from 22s. to 30s. 

 per barrel, and at these figures local curers should have had a fair margin 

 of profit. 



Mackerel were very plentiful in Loch Fyne during the months of July, 

 August, and September, but as the fish were of poor quality and there 

 was little demand for them, no special attention was given to this fishing. 

 On several occasions large quantities, for which no buyers could be found, 

 had to be put back into the sea, and at least 20 tons must have been dis- 

 posed of in this way. Prices ranged from Is. to 10s. per cwt., the latter 

 price being exceptional. 



The whole catch, which was taken with ordinary seine and drift nets, 

 was dispatched to Glasgow in a fresh state. 



Owing to a number of fishermen having found employment during the 

 winter months in various shipbuilding yards on the Clyde, small-line 

 fUhing — never of much importance in this district — was almost entirely 

 neglected, while the results with great-lines were similar to those of the 

 previous year. Fair earnings were obtained at cod-net fishing during the 

 months of March and April, but only a few crews adopted this method of 

 capture. 



