6 
Appendices to Ninth Annual Meport 
shots ranging from 70 to 100 crans landed, and a number of exceptionally 
large ones of from 100 to 135 crans. These takes were mostly got off the 
Farne Islands — the principal fishing grounds lying thei-e and from 10 to 25 
miles off the coast between Eyemouth and Holy Island. Toward the 
end of July and during the first two weeks of August the herrings were 
of excellent quality, but taking the season as a whole, they were not equal 
in that respect to those of 1889. About 400 crans of inferior niaties 
and torn-bellied herrings were disposed of for manure. The best herrings 
were obtained off Eyemouth and Berwick. In the week ended 23rd 
August, which was the most productive of the season, an average catch 
of 45 crans per boat was obtained. The lowest price received by the 
fishermen was 4s. per cran and the highest 30s. — the averas^e price for 
the season being 12s. 6d., as compared with 12s. in 1889, 10s. 6d. in 
1888, and 9s. 6d. in 1887. Some of the fishermen did fairly well, whilst 
a considerable number realised little more than would defray expenses. 
No lives were lost in connection with the fishing, and scarcely any 
damage was sustained by boats, but it is estimated that during the 
season upwards of 900 nets, worth about £1700, were lost or irreparably 
damaged, chiefly by being overweighted with lierrings. There were 7 
steam tugs employed towing boats to and from the fishing grounds, as 
compared with 4 in 1889. 
Leith Disthict. 
From the west side of St Abb's Head, inclusive, w-estwards, and including all 
the south side of the Firth of Forth ; and its north side to Buckhaven 
exclusive. 
District Fishery Office — Neivhaven. 
Both winter and summer herring fisheries are carried on in Leith dis- 
trict, so that with short intermissions fishing operations are prosecuted 
continuously throughout the year. The summer fishing was commenced 
on 7th July and continued till the 6th September. The number of 
herring boats belonging to this district is 350, and the number employed 
in the fishing varied from 23 to 6 according to circumstances, the average 
number being 16. The stations from which the summer fishing was 
carried on were Dunbar and Newhaven. Herrings were extremely 
scarce throughout the season, — the total quantity landed only amount- 
ing to 1540 crans, compared with 2975 crans in the previous year, 
which latter quantity was less than one-half of the catch of 1888. The 
average catch per boat for the season was 97 J crans, compared with 120J 
crans in 1889. The average weekly catches beginning with the week ended 
12th July were,— 12, 7, 28, 18, 10, 6, 25, 12 and 17 crans. The highest 
daily catch for one boat was 50 crans, as against 105 J crans in 1889. 
The fishing groands extended from 2 miles to 43 miles off Dunbar, — but 
the highest takes were obtained off the Farne Islands. The herrings 
generally were of inferior quality, and were less in size than those of 
1889. The weather was usually favourable, and seldom prevented the 
boats from going to sea. Besides the boats employed in this district, a 
number belonging to it proceeded to the herring fishing on the West and 
East Coasts of Scotland, and to the coasts of England and [reland ; and 
in most cases those boats met with a fair measure of success. 
The winter herring fishing in its first stage was carried on from 1st 
January to 29th March, when there were 62 boats employed, the 
catch for that period amounting to 2486 crans. On the 1st November 
this fishing was resumed, and continued till the close of the year. The 
