xviii 
Eighth Annual Report of the 
Increase per 
cent, of 
1889 over 
average of pre 
ceding ten, 
twenty-five, 
and fifty years. 
Great develop- 
ment of 
fishery since 
1809. 
Details regard- 
ing herring 
fishery. 
an increase of 7*63 per cent. ; when compared with the average of 
the preceding twenty-five years, an increase of 41 '88 per cent. ; and 
of the preceding fifty years, 78*11 per cent. The great yield of 
this fishery appears even more remarkable than is shown by these 
returns, when the fact is borne in mind that, in the year 1809, 
when the returns were first compiled by the former Fishery Board, 
the whole number of barrels cured was only 90,185|; while the 
number cured last year, as shown above, was 1,397,507. 
No. 1. Appendix A, gives some details taken from the reports of 
the inspectors and district officers regarding the herring fishery of 
1889 in each of the twenty-six districts into which the coasts of 
Scotland are divided for fishery purposes. 
Herrings cured 
on board of 
vessels. 
This branch 
of industry 
declining. 
Total quantity 
of herrings 
cured in vessels 
and on shore. 
Herrings cured 
as kippers, 
bloaters, or red 
herrings, or 
preserved in 
tins. 
Further par- 
ticulars there- 
of. 
HERRINGS CURED ON BOARD OF VESSELS AND ON 
SHORE. 
No. II. Appendix A, shows the number of vessels fitted out In 
Scotland last year for the herring fishery ; the districts from which 
they were fitted out ; their tonnage, and the number of men ; the 
quantity of netting, salt, and empty barrels shipped ; and the total 
number of barrels of white herrings cured on board ; distinguishing 
those cured gutted from those cured ungutted. 
This branch of the herring fishing industry has been carried on 
chiefly among the sea lochs on the West Coast of Scotland, but for 
a number of years past it has been gradually declining. During 
recent years, however, strenuous efforts have been made to revive 
it on the East Coast, but, so far, it has proved unremunerative, 
partly owing to the herring shoals being found in greatest abund- 
ance upon the inshore grounds. Only one vessel was fitted out 
on the East Coast for this industry in 1889, and 58 on the West 
Coast. They made 66 voyages in all, and cured on board 29,558 
barrels of herrings. Fifty-four vessels cured 16,568 barrels in 
1888. The number of vessels some years ago varied from 90 to 
upwards of 300. 
No. III. Appendix A, shows the total number of barrels of 
white herrings cured or salted in Scotland last year, both on board 
of vessels and on shore, and the districts in which they were 
taken and cured, distinguishing the herrings cured gutted from 
those cured ungutted ; and also the quantities of herrings cured 
as kippers, bloaters, or red herrings, or preserved in tins. 
The curing of herrings as kippers, bloaters, or red herrings, or 
preserved in tins, having now become an important and increasing 
branch of business in connection with the herring fishery of Scot- 
land, the herrings treated in this way are distinguished in the 
appendix above referred to from those cured in the ordinary manner. 
Last year, 74,600 crans were kippered, 8948 crans were cured as 
bloaters or red herrings, and 16,923 crans were preserved in tins. 
The kippering of herrings was most extensively carried on in the 
districts of Stornoway, Eyemouth, Aberdeen, Peterhead, Wick, and 
Fraserburgh. Of bloaters the largest quantity was prepared in the 
districts of Aberdeen and Anstruther, and the business of preserving 
herrings in tins was prosecuted chiefly in the districts of Aberdeen, 
Fraserburgh, and Peterhead. 
