of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 
13 
In the course of the year 15 fishermen lost their lives at sea, being 
9 more than in 1889. Three boats were totally wrecked, and 2 were 
damaged, — the loss, together with that of nets and lines, amounting to 
£2200. 
FiNDHOEN District. 
From west side of Spey to south side of Kessock Ferry, both inclusive. 
District Fishery Office — Burghead. 
The summer herring fishing commenced early in July and closed on the 
23rd August. The number of boats employed was 94, of which 40 fished 
from Lossiemouth, 18 from Hopeman, and 36 from Burghead. The 
number of boats belonging to the district was 389, of which 280 prosecuted 
the herring fishing. The average catch per boat was 192 crans, and the 
most productive week of the season was that ended 2nd August, which 
yielded 4270 crans. The highest single take was 102 crans, and the 
most successful boat landed 350 crans during the season, while the total 
catch was 19,193 crans against 19,342 crans in 1889. During the first 
two weeks the fishing ground was from 20 to 25 miles from land, and for 
the rest of the season from 5 to 10 miles. Eighteen boats were engaged 
to curers in Burghead at 12s. per cran, with .£1 earnest money and net 
ground and cartage provided, the other crews selling their fish daily at 
prices ranging from 5s. to 20s. per cran, giving an average of 13s. The 
fish were of good quality, about one-half of the catch being 'fulls.' 
The weather was remarkably fine all through the season, and only on one 
night were the boats prevented from going to sea. The total quantity 
of herrings cured was 22,885 barrels, against 30,205 barrels in the 
previous year. 
The winter herring fishing was unsuccessful, and yielded only 608 crans. 
Very few herrings were got in the Moray Firth, the bulk of the catch 
being taken off* Scrabster ; 355 crans were made into bloaters, and the 
remainder sent to market fresh. Prices ranged from 8s. to 40s. per cran. 
There was no loss of life in connection with the fisheries in the district ; 
no boats were wrecked, and only one damaged. The total loss on boats, 
nets and lines was £615. 
Cromarty District. 
From north side of Kessock Ferry to south side of Meikle Ferry, 
both inclusive. 
District Fishery Office — Cromarty. 
In Cromarty district there are 189 large boats, of which only 30 
remained to prosecute the summer herring fishing at home, the others 
removing to different places on the East Coast. At Portmahomack — the 
only station in the district where herrings were cured — the fishing com- 
menced on 12th July, but was not in full operation until the 25th of that 
month. Early in the season few herrings were got in the neighbourhood 
of Portmahomack. The boats this year were not engaged to curers, and 
most of them during the first two weeks landed the bulk of their fish at 
stations outside the district. On the night of the 24th July a few boats 
got takes of from 30 to 48 crans, at from 2 to 5 miles south of Tarbatness 
Lighthouse ; on which ground the boats were very successful from 
that date to the 8th August. The weeks ended 2nd and 9th August 
