xxxviii 
Eighth Annual Report of the 
WEATHER AND DISASTERS AT SEA. 
State of 
weather during 
summer and 
winter 
herring fishing, 
and generally 
throughout 
1889. 
Seventy-two 
persons 
drowned. 
Loss in boats 
and fishing 
year. 
During the period that the great summer herring fishery was in 
operation, the weather was exceptionally good, there being only an 
occasional strong gale. Boats were at sea, in greater or lesser 
numbers, every fishing night during the season. Unfortunately, 
the fishermen frequently experienced violent storms during the 
prosecution of the winter herring and line fishing, — serious loss of 
life and property being sustained on several occasions. Loss of life 
was greatest in Stornoway district, where sixteen persons were 
drowned, twelve by the capsizing of two boats during a heavy 
gale on 19th March. One or more fishermen were drowned in 
each of fourteen other districts, while in eleven districts no lives 
were lost. The loss in damage to boats and fishing material 
was greatest in Aberdeen district, the amount being £9255 — 
Fraserburgh, Wick, Leith, and Anstruther also suffering consider- 
ably. The total number of lives lost was 72, — 50 on the East Coast, 
and 22 on the West Coast, against 59 in 1888, an increase of 13 ; 
but*a decrease of 24 as compared with the average of the preceding 
five years. Thirty-six boats were totally wrecked, and 218 were 
damaged. A great quantity of netting was also lost, but not to the 
same extent as in the preceding two years, through the fouling 
and weight of fish meshed when the shoals were dense, especially 
at Fraserburgh and Wick. The total loss sustained last year in 
boats and fishing material amounted to £46,460. 
The following Table shows the number of lives lost, and the 
manner in which those casualties happened ; also the number of 
boats totally wrecked, and the number damaged, with the amount 
of loss sustained in boats and fishing material in each of the 
past six years, during which period such statistics have been 
collected : — 
Lives lost, 
boats wrecked 
and damaged, 
and total loss 
in boats and 
fishing material 
in last six 
years. 
Lives Lost by Wrecks or other Casualties. 
Years. 
Founderiugs. 
Wrecks in 
taking 
Harbours. 
m 
a 
.2 
"o 
O 
Washed 
overboard. 
Fell 
overboard. 
Knocked over- 
board, or killed 
by Sails, &c. 
© 
H 
Boats 
totally 
wrecked. 
Boats 
damaged. 
Total Loss 
in Boats 
and Fishing 
Material. 
1884, 
1885, - . 
1886, 
1887, 
1888, 
1889, 
42 
84 
38 
85 
16 
37 
12 
6 
13 
7 
2 
% 
8 
2 
8 
5 
8 
19 
8 
8 
18 
20 
10 
17 
17 
12 
5 
5 
6 
14 
9 
13 
73 
126 
70 
156 
59 
72 
39 
51 
40 
51 
58 
36 
112 
112 
132 
187 
179 
218 
£29,506 
59,825 
51,201 
51,581 
49,826 
46,460 
Totals, . 
302 
40 
12 
56 
94 
52 
556 
275 
940 
288,399 
Similar return 
by districts. 
Table VI., Appendix D., is a return, by districts, of the number of 
lives lost in connection with the sea fisheries of Scotland, and the 
manner in which the casualties happened ; the number of boats 
totally wrecked, and the value thereof ; the number of boats and 
the amount of damage ; and the loss on nets and other fishing 
material lost or damaged last year. 
