xxxiv 
Ninth Anmtal Report of the 
Abstract 
returns of 
tonnage and 
persons 
employed. 
Number of 
boats and 
beam trawl 
vessels and 
resident 
fishermen in 
Scotland. 
Table V. Appendix D, is an abstract return of the tonnage of 
vessels and number of men ; the tonnage of boats and number of 
fishermen and boys ; and the number of other persons employed in 
the herring, cjd, and ling, and other sea fisheries of Scotland 
last year. 
Table VIII. Appendix D, is a return, by fishing villages or 
creeks, of the number of first, second, and third class fishing boats, 
beam trawl vessels, and resident fishermen and boys, in the year 
1890. It will be seen that in Table II. of Appendix D, the fisher- 
men and boys returned are 7280 more than the above-mentioned 
number. This is, however, in consequence of that additional 
number, who ware non-resident, having been employed in the 
herring fishery at the various stations when the return was 
made up. 
WExlTHER AND DISASTERS AT SEA. 
state of 
weather during 
summer and 
autumn 
herring fishing, 
and generally 
throughout 
1890. 
Severe gale, 
and great loss 
of life in June. 
1 43 persons 
drowned. 
Loss in boats 
and fishing 
gear. 
Lives lost, 
boats wrecked 
and damaged, 
and total loss 
in boats and 
fishing material 
in last seven 
years. 
'The conditions of the weather — an important element in con- 
nection with sea fisheries— were, during the great summer and 
autumn herring-fishing, generally favourable. Although a strong 
gale was occasionally experienced, boats could, with safety, prosecute 
the industry every fishing night. 
Before the regular season had commenced, and while the early 
fishing was in operation, a very severe gale broke out on the morning 
of the 25th June. Its greatest violence was experienced between 
the Butt of Lewis and the Orkney Islands. Unfortunately it was 
attended, with disastrous results to many of the boats and fishermen 
then at sea, 50 fishermen being drowned, 12 boats totally 
wrecked, a good many damaged, and a heavy loss in netting 
sustained. 
Throughout the rest of the year, fishing was often retarded by 
severe storms; and o3casionally, at some stations, boats were 
obliged to remain in harbour for a number of days in succession. 
It is to be regretted that last year's losses, in both life and 
property, were, with one exception, the heaviest experienced since 
statistics were first collected, seven years ago. The returns for 
1890 show that 143 fishermen lost their lives — 125 on the East 
Coast, and 18 on the West Coast — 45 boats were totally wrecked, 
and 193 more or less damaged to the extent of £10,570, besides nets 
and fishing material lost valued at £46,769, or a gross total loss in 
boats and fishing material ot £57,339. Loss of life was greatest in 
Wick district, no less than 45 fishermen being drowned, — 37 
by boats foundering at sea. Aberdeen, Leith, Fraserburgh, Wick, 
and Stornoway districts sustained the heaviest losses in boats and 
fishing material. 
The following Table shows the number of lives lost, and the 
manner in which those casualties happened ; also the number of 
boats totally wrecked, and the number damaged, with the amount 
of loss sustained in boats and fishing material in each of the past 
seven years, during which period such statistics have been 
collected : — 
