12 
Appendices to Eighth Annual Report 
July, and closed on 3rd September, with a total catch of 22,730 crans, 
or an average of 181| crans to each of 125 boats employed. The total 
catch in 1888 was 17,027 crans, showing an increase in favour of the 
present year of 5703 crans, and of 45 J crans in the average per boat. 
The fishing was much more regular than in the previous year, — the takes 
being more equally distributed over the fleet and a larger number of boats 
having an aggregate catch of 200 crans and upwards. The most success- 
ful boat landed a total of 430 crans, and the least successful 90 crans. 
The number of first class herring boats belonging to the district was 243, 
being 7 less than in the previous year, and of these 4 were disposed of to 
fishermen in other districts, and 3 not used, as unseaworthy. The most 
successful week was that ended 3rd August, when an average catch of 
38 crans per boat was landed. The fishing ground extended over an 
area of from 2 to 20 miles from land along the coast of the district, but 
the majority of the takes landed were got at a distance of from 7 to 12 
miles offshore. Very little was done on the inshore grounds — so pro- 
ductive in former years. The quality of the herrings was decidedly 
inferior to that of any previous year since 1884. Besides an unusual 
proportion of maties landed, there were also taken, towards the close of 
the season, quantities of soft tender fish, which are so liable to burst 
during the process of cure. One peculiarity of the season was the large 
quantity of small immature herrings landed. Stormy weather prevented 
the boats from getting to sea on 8 nights of the season. Three fishermen 
were drowned, and 7 boats were partially damaged ; but owing to the 
absence of an inshore fishing, there was no crowding on the fishing 
ground, and the damage to netting was extremely small. The price of 
herrings varied from 2s. to 20s. 6d. per cran, the average price being 
10s. 6d. per cran, against 15s. per cran in 1888. 
The winter herring fishing was a complete failure. The early fishing 
yielded a total of 2827 crans, being an increase over that of last year of 
897 crans, and with the exception of a few crans kippered daily, the 
whole of these were sold for consumption in a fresh or lightly salted 
condition. 
Buckie District. 
From Cullen to east side of Spey, both inclusive. 
District Fishery Office — Buckie. 
Buckie had 724 boats in 1889, being 35 fewer than in the previous 
year. Of these, 143 first class boats prosecuted the summer herring fish- 
ing in the district — 25 from Cullen, 2 from Portknockie, 30 from Findochty, 
80 from Buckie, and 6 from Portgordon, — being an increase of 43 boats 
over 1888. The season opened on 10th July and closed on 7th September. 
Very few herrings were caught on the inshore grounds, the chief fishing 
ground being from 15 to 35 miles north east of Buckie, while the average 
quality of the herrings was much below the previous season. The most 
successful week was that ended on the 3rd of August, which yielded an 
average of 44 crans per boat, — the weekly average thereafter ranging from 
11 to 27 crans. The highest average catch per boat, 244 crans, was 
obtained at Buckie, and the lowest, 110 crans, at Portgordon, — the 
average for the whole fleet being 212 crans, against 214 in 1888. The 
average price obtained per cran was about 8s., which was considerably 
under that of the previous year. Of the herrings landed from January to 
