24 
Apyenclices to Ninth Annual Re]port 
Ayr in December. The winter herring fisliing commenced in January, 
but was seriously interrupted at the outset by gales of wind, and fogs, 
scarcely any progress being made till the middle of February, when a 
favourable change in the weather allowed the boats to go to sea. At 
this time the herrings were on the Ballantrae spawning banks, and in 
the week ended 22nd February 3200 crans were landed. The best 
catch, however, was made during the week ended 1st March, when 4000 
crans were taken on these banks, and sent to market fresh and 
sprinkled, 300 waggons with herrings being forwarded from Girvan 
Kail way Station, mostly to English markets. On Tuesday, 4th March, a 
catch of 2i55 crans was landed, but the weather again becoming stormy, 
the fishing was stopped for the remainder of the week. The trammel- 
nets were lifted from the banks, tbe Argyleshire crews proceeded home, 
and the winter fishing terminated with a total catch of 8200 crans. The 
highest number of boats fishing was 174, and the average price obtained 
per cran was 13s. Herrings were generally large and of good quality. 
Drift-nets, seine or circle-nets and set trammel-nets were all employed in 
the fishing. 
The summer herring fishing, which commenced in May, was light 
throughout both on the Ayrshire coast and in Luce Bay, and closed on 
the 30th of August with a total catch of 1639 crans. The highest 
number of boats fishing was 89, and the average price per cran obtained 
was £1, 7s. All the herrings were disposed of fresh, and mostly con- 
sumed in the district. The herrings throughout the entire summer 
were small. 
An autumn fisliing commencing towards the end of November con- 
tinued with unprecedented success till the close of the year. The herring 
shoal first touched the coast off Ayr Heads, and extraordinarily large 
catches were landed almost daily by the seine-net hsheinien from 
Argyleshire. With line frosty weather, an offshore wind and quiet sea, 
the boats were nightly at work and on each occasion secured heavy 
catches. During the period between 24th November and 31st December 
9457 crans of herring were landed at Ayr — a catch unprecedented at that 
port, and which raised tiie iot'A for the year to 19,316 crans, as compared 
with 10,366 crans in 1889. The herrings were so close to the shore that 
quantities were washed on the beach, and on some occasions were found 
alive in the boats when brought into the harbour. Several very heavy 
catches were taken — 75 to 100 crans being not unfrequent, and one pair 
of seine-net boats landed as many as 135 crans. Most of the herrings 
were taken by the Argyleshire crews with the seine-net. A large 
number of English and local buyers were present, and the demand being 
good, prices for this period were from I63., 20s., 32s. up to 42s. a cran. 
The herrings were uniformly large and of excellent quality ; 184 boats 
were fishing at Ayr at this time. In a selected week of the season, 370 
boats manned by 1480 men and boys were engaged in the fishing, and 57 
coopers, 10 gutters and 176 labourers were employed in curing or sorting 
the herrings. During the year 3 boats were totally lost and 4 men 
drowned. The loss of netting and fishing gear was comparatively small. 
