12 
Appendices to Ninth Annual Report 
225 herring boats belonging to the district, and of these 128 fished in 
the district — 1 at Gardenstown, 49 at Macduff, 38 at Banff, 2 at White- 
hills, and 38 at Portsoy. The average catch of each boat at these stations 
was 214, 184, 168, 105 and 194 J crans respectively. The total catch 
was 23,230 crans, giving an average per boat of 181 crans, or 4 crans 
less than in the previous year. A number of crews occasionally disposed 
of their fish in neighbouring districts, where they could more conveniently 
land them, and where better prices were realised, thus tending to lower 
the general average at their own stations. The greatest success was ex- 
perienced in the first two weeks of the season, in each of which the 
average for the fleet was about 40 crans. The best aggregate catch was 
175 crans, and the lowest 46 crans, while the highest single take was 84 
crans. The fishing grounds most frequented lay at a distance of from 8 
to 15 miles from land. Herrings appeared on the inshore grounds on one 
night only, and unfortunately the majority of the boats missed the shoal 
by going too far out. The quality of the fish was excellent, more 
particularly in the first three weeks of the season, when on several occa- 
sions from a half to two-thirds of the daily catch consisted of * full ' fish. 
Stormy weather prevented the boats from fishing on six nights of the 
season. Two fishermen were drowned during the year, 6 boats partially 
damaged, and netting estimated as worth about £500 was lost. The total 
quantity of herrings cured was 31,990 barrels, being 1622 barrels less than 
in 1889. Prices varied from 3s. to 19s. 6d. per cran, the average being 
13s. per cran, or 2s. 6d. per cran more than in the previous year. 
The winter herring fishing was again a failure. The spring and early 
herring fishing, however, yielded 683 crans, making the total quantity 
landed during the year 23,913 crans. 
Buckie District. 
From CuUen to east side of Spey, both inclusive. 
District Fishery Office — Buckie. 
During 1890 there were 713 boats belonging to Buckie district, being 
II fewer than in the previous year, and of these 114 prosecuted the 
summer herring fishing in the district, — 18 from CuUen, 11 from Port- 
knockie, 24 from Findochty, and 61 from Buckie, or 29 boats less than 
in 1889. The season opened on the 8th of July and closed on the 30th 
of August. A few boats occasionally went to the herring fishing in May 
and June, chiefly to get bait, the surplus being * sprinkled ' and sent to 
the English markets, and a few barrels cured for the Continent. The 
fishing grounds were from 2 to 25 miles off Buckie, about one-fourth 
of the catch being taken on the inshore ground. The average quality of 
the herrings was superior to that of 1889. The most successful week 
was that ended on the 19th July, which yielded an average of 67|- crans, 
the weekly average thereafter ranging from 2| to 44 J crans, and the 
highest average catch per boat, 255J crans, was obtained at Buckie. The 
average catch for the whole fleet was 239J crans, while the average price 
obtained was lis. 7d. per cran, or 3s. 7d. per cran over the previous 
year. Ten boats were engaged to curers during the month of July at 
10s. per cran. Of the herrings landed during the year 32,076 J barrels 
were cured for exportation to the Continent, and 6366 crans sent to 
market as fresh and sprinkled, kippers and bloated, giving a total of 
38,442 J barrels, — a decrease compared with 1889 of 9479 J barrels. The 
weather was fairly good during the season, the boats being kept ashore 
by stormy weather on 4 nights only. 
