§ Mr. Wolrige-Gordonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will furnish an outline of the herring industry as at present constituted, showing the number of boats and the whereabouts of those boats, the potential markets and the whereabouts of those markets, and the factories, curing yards, etc., where the herring are processed; in what way the industry has changed since 1946; and what has been the extent of these changes.
§ Mr. NobleI would refer my hon. Friend to the Annual Reports of the Herring Industry Board and of my Department which give a full and in some respects quite detailed account of the herring industry.
The principal changes in the herring industry since 1946 are that in that year more than half of the vessels mainly engaged in drift net fishing for herring were steam vessels ill-adapted and seldom used for white fish catching, whereas in 1963 nearly all the vessels used as drifters were dual purpose boats suitable for white fish catching. In 1946 there was a general shortage of protein both at home and abroad and a firm demand for herring for human consumption, both in the home market and for export: in 1963 the home market demand was much less and so were exports since, of the European countries to which we exported, most now rely to a greater extent on their own catches, especially in years of good fishing such as 1963. In 1946 there were maximum prices for first hand sales; in 1963 there were minimum prices but no maxima. In 1946 the Ministry of Food paid a subsidised price of 30s. per cran for surplus herring sold for reduction to oil and meal: now there is a herring fishing subsidy as well as a subsidy of 25s. per cran, paid in addition to the market price, on surplus herring up to 20 per cent. of total landings.
81WThe number of Scottish boats mainly engaged in herring fishing were:—
1946 1963 Drifters … … 444 104 Ringers … … 178 85 In both years the drifters were mainly based on Fraserburgh, Peterhead, Buckie, Gardenstown, Lerwick and Stornoway and the ringers on Mallaig, Kyle, Avoch, and ports in the Clyde and Forth.
The location of the principal factories and processing plants in Scotland in the two years is shown in the list below:—
1946
Factories
- Aberdeen (canning and fish meal).
- Fraserburgh.
- Peterhead.
- Dundee (canning).
- Lerwick (fish meal).
- Wick (fish meal).
- Bonnybridge (fish meal).
- Stornoway (fish meal).
Kippering
- Eyemouth.
- Leith.
- Aherdeen.
- Fraserburgh.
- Peterhead.
- Macdutf.
- Buckie.
- Wick.
- Shetland.
- Stornoway.
- Glasgow.
- Mallaig.
- Oban.
Curing
- Fraserbuigh.
- Peterhead.
- Buckie.
- Wick.
- Shetland.
- Stornoway.
- Mallaig.
1963
Factories
Private Factories:
- Aberdeen (canning, quick freezing and oil and meal).
- Bressay (oil and meal).
- Fraserburgh (canning, quick freezing and oil and meal).
- Peterhead (canning and quick freezing).
Herring Industry Board factories:
- Lerwick (quick freezing).
- Stornoway (quick freezing and oil and meal).
- Mallaig (quick freezing).
Kippering
- Leith.
- Aberdeen.
- Fraserburgh.
82 - Peterhead.
- Buckie.
- Shetland.
- Stornoway.
- Mallaig.
- Ayr.
Curing
- Fraserburgh.
- Peterhead.
- Buckie.
- Shetland.
- Stornoway.
- Mallaig.
- Ullapool.