of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 
205 
the quantity of cod, &c. cured dry has shown a steady increase. Poor 
seasons have occasionally intervened, but the general progress of the in- 
dustry has been unmistakeable. The following figures show the yearly 
averages for the last five decades : — 
Years, Yearly average. 
1 8 1 0- L9 . . 37,850 cwts. of dry fish. 
1850-59 . . 43,750 
1860-G9 . . G 1,400 
1870-79 . . 85,990 
1880-89 . . 67,800 
The abnormal increase in 1870-79 deserves some explanation. About 
that time the demand for Shetland cured fish was greater than the supply, 
and local merchants began to import, in a half-cured condition, considerable 
quantities of Norwegian cod, which were then dried and exported as 
Shetland fish. The experiment did not prove a lasting success, and was 
finally abandoned. 
2. Haddock Fishing. 
This is the chief occupation of the Shetland fishermen from the end of 
September to the commencement of the cod and ling fishing. The chief 
seat of the fishery is about Scalloway and the adjacent isles, but it is 
carried on more or less round the coast, wherever there is a safe harbour 
and steam communication. Mussels are the principal bait, but cockles 
are also freely used, especially in the North Isles. The fishing grounds 
are in every case close to the shore, — often land-locked by islands. The 
boats used are light four-oar skifTs of 14 or 15 feet of keel, modelled like 
the 'sixerns.' The crew of four or five men carry lines similar to those used, 
on the East Coast of Scotland. 
Before increased steam communication put the Shetlanders in touch 
with the fresh-fish markets, all that could be done with haddocks was to 
cure and dry them like cod, and the price was too low to encourage 
fishermen to work. This is, therefore, quite a recent industry that has 
grown up within the last decade. From 1884 — when authentic records of 
haddock fishing were first kept — to 1888, the yearly total steadily increased 
from 12,726 cwts. to 28,056 cwts. ; but since then, from whatever cause, 
there has been a gradual falling-off to 12,884 cwts. in 1891. Fortunately 
the price paid to fishermen has been steadily increasing, and their earnings 
have not been reduced in proportion to the catch. Scalloway and Burra 
Isles crews often earn £20 a man for the season of about four months. 
Very few of the haddocks are smoked in Shetland : the bulk of them 
are sent south in ice. 
3. Herring Fishing. 
Of all the fishings carried on in Shetland, the herring fishing is the 
most fluctuating. In the year 1834 the fishing was a failure on the East 
Coast of Scotland, but herrings were abundant at Shetland — one firm having 
cured and branded no fewer than 20,000 barrels, and the total for the 
district amounting to 57,000 barrels for the season. After this, from 
various causes, the fishing declined very much. For the long period of 40 
years the total only once reached 20,000 barrels (in 1841) ; and it was gener- 
ally from 1,000 to 10,000 barrels a year. The lowest recorded figures are 
for 1864, when the season's cure only came to 658 barrels. From 1870 
to 1879 the average yearly total was under 4,000 barrels. 
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