278 



Appendices to Twenty -fifth Annual Report 



Means of 

 Capture. 



Ballantrae 



Herring 



Fishing. 



hummer 

 Herring 

 Fishing. 



Autumn 

 Herring 

 Fishing. 



especially the latter, which was eminently successful. Herrings contributed 

 72 per cent, of the total quantity of white fish landed, and 57 per cent, 

 of the value. 



The cod-net, flounder-net, and line fisheries, while exhibiting variations 

 here and there, were not marked by any very special features. Beam 

 trawling in the Solway was less productive than usual. 



Beyond some slight changes in the total area of certain kinds of 

 netting, the means of capture returns present little difference from those 

 of the year 1905. 



As was the case in the preceding year, and owing to the same cause — 

 a prolonged spell of very stormy weather — the Ballantrae herring fishing 

 was, as already stated, a complete failure. At the beginning of the 

 season "appearances" were reported good, and hopes were entertained 

 that, given a fair chance, a good fishing would result. On the strength 

 of these reports some stranger crews arrived here to take part in the 

 fishing, but during a stay of five weeks were able to get to sea twice only. 

 At the first favourable opportunity they left for home, having earned 

 nothing, The total quantity of herrings caught on the Bank was 383 

 crans, and this was practically all got towards the close of the season, 

 when only a few boats had herring nets on board. The best shot was one 

 of 83 crans, which proves that herrings must have visited the Bank in 

 considerable shoals. 



During the summer months herrings were found pretty generally 

 distributed over the Clyde estuary, and, though they were not in dense 

 shoals, fair, regular catches were obtained throughout the season. The 

 quality was good, and the prices satisfactory. The local fishermen were 

 often employed in the waters of the adjacent districts of Greenock and 

 Rothesay, hence the actual results of their operations are not wholly 

 reflected in the returns of this district. The season was, however, the 

 best experienced for some years past. 



For the second year in succession a phenomenal herring fishing was in 

 progress during the closing months of the year. The most prolific fishing 

 grounds were in the vicinity of Ayr Bay, and in Lochryan. At the 

 latter place some extraordinary hauls were secured by means of seine nets, 

 notably during the week ended 22nd December. Out of one net 305 

 crans, which realised about £380, were taken. This sum was divided 

 among four crews, another pair of crews having come to the assistance of 

 the owners of the net, which threatened to go to the bottom. The net 

 was eventually lost. But on the following day a further 50 crans, which 

 made XI per cran, were dredged from the spot where this net sank. 

 There were several instances of large catches, such as the one specified, 

 the details corresponding. 



At Ayr, also, heavy catches were not uncommon, but the quality was 

 not quite up to the Lochryan standard, and rather lower prices ruled. 

 The earnings of the seine-net crews for the week referred to varied from 

 £120 to £400, or from £15 to £50 per man. Those using trammel nets 

 did not do quite so well, yet their earnings totalled up to a good round 

 sum. There was no drift-net fishing in Lochryan, the area of the loch 

 being rather confined and the water too shallow to allow of this mode of 

 capture being employed, and these conditions favoured the Campbeltown 

 men, all of whom used seine nets. The year's totals show an increase of 

 250 per cent, in quantity and 252 per cent, in value compared with those 

 of 1905. Practically the entire catch was dispatched in a fresh or 

 sprinkled state to centres outside the district. 



The rich harvest gathered here would seem to account, in some degree 

 at anyrate, for the dearth of herrings in Loch Fyne, for it is currently 

 believed that the fish got here were those which usually visit Loch Fyne. 



