of the Fishery Hoard for Scotland, 
9 
employed, being 2 less than in the preceding year. The highest total take 
of any boat was about 340 crans, and the lowest 50 crans. The largest 
single take was 70 crans, and the highest total daily take, amounting to 
SI 6 crans, was landed on 19th July. The fishing grounds extended from 
•') miles to 41 miles offshore, but very few herrings were caught beyond 
:>() miles. The most productive grounds lay from 3 to 12 miles distant, 
between Stonehaven and Bervie. From 24th July to 3rd August the 
herrings were of good quality, but during the rest of the season the takes 
consisted largely of maties. The full and spent fish were good, but a 
considerable proportion of the maties were small inferior iish. Nineteen 
boats were engaged to deliver their lish to curers at fixed prices, the 
herrings caught by the remainder of the boats being sold by auction, at 
prices ranging from 3s. 3d. to 23s. 6d. per cran. The average price 
realised over the whole fleet was about 12s. per cran. The weather, on 
the whole, was favourable, and the boats were at sea 44 nights. Seven 
nights were stormy, or threatening, and all the boats remained in 
harbour. 
The winter and spring fishing was attended with average success. It 
yielded a total of 1143 crans, as compared with 965 crans in 1888. 
These herrings were nearly all sent to market for consumption fresh, 
prices ranging from 6s. 6d. to 60s. per cran. One fisherman was unfortu- 
nately drowned on 27th April. Boats, nets, and lines of the *alue of 
£429 were lost and damaged during the year. There were 64 herring 
boats belonging to the district, as compared with 62 in the previous year. 
Aberdeen District. 
From Skateraw, exclusive, to Aberdeen, inclusive. 
District Fishery Office — Aberdeen. 
The summer herring fishing of the Aberdeen district began in the first 
week of July, being earlier than usual, and closed on 7th September. 
The fleet numbered 408 boats, comprising 400 Scottish and 8 English, 
against 389 Scottish, 33 English, and 8 Isle of Man, in 1888, show- 
ing a decrease of 22 boats for the year. The chief fishing grounds 
lay from 5 to 60 miles offshore, extending S.S.E. to E.N.E. from Aber- 
deen, but the most productive lay inshore, distant 5 to 20 miles from 
land. Herrings were abundant, and the fishing was general. The total 
quantity landed was the highest on record, amounting to 105,745 crans 
against 71,205 crans in 1888. The average per boat was 259 crans, 
against 165| crans in 1888. July yielded 43,596 crans, August 43,576 
crans, and September 5170 crans. The most productive week was that 
ended 27th July, with a catch of 16,557 crans, as against 18,724 crans 
for the best week of 1888, which ended 28th July. The highest single 
take was 146 J crans, and the most successful boat of the season landed 
fully 700 crans. It being mainly an inshore fishing, the herrings were 
generally landed in good condition. The quality of the fulls was 
excellent, of the spents good, and of the maties inferior. Sixteen crews 
were engaged to curers at from 15s. to 16s. per cran for a complement of 
200 crans, while unengaged boats sold their herrings daily, chiefly by 
auction. The average price obtained in July was 9s. 5^d., in August 13s. 
in September 13s. 1 Jd., and for the season lis. 4d. per cran, as compared 
with 15s. in 1888, and 13s. in 1887. The total quantity of herrings 
