of the Fishery Hoard for Scotland. 
15 
were made up as bloaters, and the remainder sent to market in a fresh 
state. 
Lybster District. 
From Dunbeath, exclusive, to East Clytb, inclusive. 
District Fishery Office — Lybster. 
The summer herring fishing of 1889 commenced on the 2nd of July, 
but did not become general until the 16th of that month, and was con- 
tinued until the end of August. Seventy boats were employed in the 
district, 43 of which were engaged to curers at fixed rates per cran, and 
the others sold their fish daily at current prices. The average price for 
the season was about lis. 6d. per cran for all the fish landed. The total 
catch for the season was 11,625 crans, of which 7270 crans were landed 
in July, and 4355 crans in August. The average catch per boat was 166 
crans, being the highest average catch on record in this district. The 
most successful period of the season was the week ending the 20th of 
July when 4253 crans were landed by 46 boats employed. On the 
17th and 18th July several single takes of 80 to 100 crans were landed, 
and one boat had 150 crans of fine large herrings at one take. The 
highest total catch by any boat was 360 crans for the season. Others 
had from 250 to 350 crans, while one boat landed only 35 crans during the 
season. The quality of the fish in July was fairly good, but in August a 
very large proportion of the catch were the smallest in size, and the 
poorest in quality ever landed here. About one-fourth of the catch were 
fine large full fish, and rich in flavour. Spent fish were observed as early 
as the 17th of July, and more or less of them were landed up to the close 
of the season. The quantity of herrings cured gutted was 13,939 barrels, 
the quantity exported 13, 152 J barrels, and branded 3929 barrels, — being 
an increase over last year of 6511 barrels cured, and of 5968 barrels 
exported, but a decrease of 521 J barrels branded. 
The winter herring season had a fair degree of success in January when 
349 crans of herrings were landed. Prices opened at 40s. a cran, but 
rapidly fell to 12s., and afterwards to 5s. 6d. The weather was stormy 
in February and March. Few herrings were then to be found on the 
coast, and the season closed with March having yielded a catch of 500 
crans of herrings valued at <£425. Of the 500 crans caught, 1 20 barrels 
were cured gutted and shipped to the Continent via Wick. 
There was no loss of life in this district during the year, but 2 boats 
at Latheron wheel were damaged to the extent of £10, and the loss and 
damage to nets and lines during the year was <£790. 
Wick District. 
From East Clyth, exclusive, to Cape Wrath, inclusive, including the Island 
of Stroma in the Pentland Firth. 
District Fishery Office — Wick. 
The summer herring fishing of 1889 was prosecuted by 442 boats, of 
which 402 fished at Wick, 17 at Eamsgoe, Boathaven, Eizie, and Staxigoe, 
11 at Keiss, and 12 at Scrabster, being an increase of 12 boats as com- 
pared with the number fishing in 1888. Of these boats, 345 belonged to 
the district, as compared with 348 in 1888. The fishing commenced at 
