78 



Part III. — Twenty-fifth Annual Report 



dale ; and in December good takes were got at Skipness, the herrings being 

 large fish, running about 600 to a cran. 



In 1855, the first entry is 16th June, but 1326 crans were caught from 

 1st January to 9th June in the district. It is stated that the herrings 

 appeared in the loch earlier than was expected, and the fishermen were 

 scarcely ready for them. In June the fishing was chiefly from the head 

 of the loch to Otter, but also at Ardlamont and Tarbert. In July the 

 fishing was very good in the upper loch, especially about Inveraray. In 

 October, November, and December seiners were very successful about 

 Skipness, the herrings being large and full of milt and roe. 



In 1856, the first entry is 21st June; 1178 crans were caught in the 

 district between 1st January and 14th June. Until August the fishing 

 in the upper loch was poor ; in November large quantities were taken 

 at Ardlamont, and in December at and above Otter Ferry, and at 

 Skipness. 



In 1857, 1716 crans were landed in the district from 1st January to 

 13th June. In June some very large herrings were taken near Tarbert, 

 those caught by the seine selling for 28s. 6d. for 120 fish, those taken by 

 drift-net at 24s. per 120, and the lowest price was 14s. Here it may be 

 mentioned that in those years the prices appear to be much higher, there 

 being little competition comparatively on the East Coast. At Tarbert, in 

 December 1854, cured herrings sold at 45s. a barrel. In July, August, and 

 September the best fishing was in the upper loch, particularly at 

 Inveraray, and the buoy ropes of the drift-nets in the latter month were 

 60 fathoms long, so that the herrings were in the deep water. In 

 October the fishing was also largely up the loch, and in November good 

 takes were got at Crarae. 



In 1 858 3000 crans were landed up to 26th June. In June and 

 July the fishing up the loch was light, but from August to the end of the 

 year it was chiefly in the upper loch, from Minard to Inveraray 

 Seiners flocked thither, and riots occurred between them and the 

 drifters. 



In 1859, 3209 crans were landed to June 11th. In July and August 

 the fishing in the upper loch was good ; it fell off in September and 

 October, but revived towards the end of November, especially about 

 Minard, and 400 boats were fishing in the upper loch. It continued 

 remarkably good in December, large quantities being caught about the 

 middle of the month near Minard and Loch Gair, and towards the end in 

 the lower loch, especially at Inverneil Bay, near Ardrishaig, and from 

 there towards Tarbert. Some of the seiners got 200 crans in a haul, 

 and about 500 boats were fishing in the lower loch. 



In 1860 the Officer begins his record in January, in which month good 

 catches were obtained by the seiners, but the fishing fell off towards the 

 end, chiefly from bad weather, as large shoals were said to be in the lower 

 loch and at Loch Gair. In February the fishing continued at Inverneil, 

 the herrings being large, but many of them were spent. In March they 

 were mostly spent, and the fishing extended to Skipness and Carradale ; 

 at the end of the month they were all spent. It thus appears that in 

 the early months of 1860 a shoal of herrings spawned in the neighbour- 

 hood of Inverneil. In April little was done ; at the end of May fisher- 

 men reported that they never had seen such an abundance of herrings 

 in Loch Fyne at that period before. In June the fishing was apparently 

 only in the lower loch ; in July there was a light fishing in the upper 

 loch, which improved in August and September. In October the fishing 

 was chiefly between Otter and Tarbert, especially at Inverneil, also at 

 Minard. In November the fishing was very successful between Otter 



