of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



289 



Owing to the excessive heat in the interior the demand at this period 

 had slightly fallen oft", and taking opportunity of a lull in the sales I 

 proceeded to Geestemunde and Elsfleth, the latter place being about 

 twenty miles west of Bremerhaven, on the Weser. At Geestemunde, 

 the Hochsee Fischerei Company had a fleet of nine large steamers, all 

 of which were employed at herring fishing during the summer, and in 

 winter at trawling. Lying on the piers there were about 20,000 empty 

 herring barrels, besides about 6000 which had been shipped on board the 

 fleet. Geestemunde is the chief port for the sale of white fish in Germany. 

 The harbour, with its ice stores and facilities for packing, etc., has 

 within the past three years been extended at a cost to the Government 

 of .£34,000. At Elsfleth there were two Herring Fischerei Companies. 

 One of the companies had a fleet of 6 steamers and 4 sailing vessels, and the 

 other, 20 sailing craft. In preparation for the season's herring fishing 

 both companies had stocks of from 16,000 to 17,000 empty barrels on hand. 

 At Leer, Brake, Nordenham, and Vegesack, there were similar com- 

 panies with large stocks of barrels and salt. The Nordsee Company of 

 Nordenham were the first of the German fleets to attempt trawling off 

 the coast of Morocco. This season their attention was directed to the 

 herring fishing at Iceland, which is 1000 miles from the Weser ports. 

 They had bought a wooden sailing vessel of about 2000 tons, and sent 

 her with 50 Norwegian women to Iceland. On board were coals and 

 provisions for the steamers employed in the herring fishing. From 

 reports to hand the fishing in that direction was prosecuted with a large 

 measure of success. In 1904, the combined German fleets employed in 

 herring fishing were 157 vessels; in 1905, 186; and this season, 215. 

 These figures give an idea of how rapid is the growth of the deep-sea 

 fishing industry. Sailing vessels engaged in the herring fishing receive 

 from the Government a subsidy towards the coast of building, and a 

 further sum for equipment. The Danish petroleum motors find favour 

 with the Baltic fishermen, about a score being in use in the Kiel 

 district. Recently the Government started collecting and publishing a 

 monthly statement of the quantities of fish landed, and are giving every 

 encouragement to deep-sea fishers. 



During the week ended 15th September I again visited Hamburg. 

 At this period there were very few early Shetland or East Coast her- 

 rings in store. Those on hand had had a reserve price placed upon them, 

 with the result that owing to the unkeepable nature of the herrings only 

 some 10 to 12 marks per barrel were offered for them. A few hundred 

 barrels were saved by being put under cold storage treatment, but under 

 ordinary storage accommodation every week added to their deterioration. 

 The imports now arriving were nearly all crown brands, the bulk of which 

 had been contracted for in Scotland and forwarded to the interior 

 direct. In the total import there was a considerable increase and a 

 further rise in price. Norway, Holland, and Germany were taking 

 advantage of the rise in price, and had placed upon the market several 

 thousand barrels, besides large quantities of cut herrings and brittling 

 (sprats) from Norway. Of cut herrings there are eleven different sizes, 

 running from 18 to 20 fish per kilo, down to 70 to 90 fish. One of the 

 principal importers of this class of herring informed me that about 

 20,000 barrels are annually placed upon the market. The average 

 number of cut herrings in a barrel is about 6000. These are nearly all 

 purchased for preserving purposes. The chief markets are Austria, 

 Saxony, and America. In Austria and Saxony they are prepared and 

 put upon the market as Russian sardines. About 3000 barrels of brit- 

 tling (sprats) are also annually imported. A few half barrels were, I 

 noticed, preserved with herbs and spices ; under this treatment they are 

 named anchovies, and realise high prices. If imported in this state 



