The ling and tusk fishery is the oldest of the existing fishing
industries of Shetland. It appears in the seventeenth century to
have been in the hands of Dutch merchants and shipowners, who
supplied the natives with the means of fishing; cured, or at least
dried, the fish on the beaches; and carried it to Holland. It is said
that the proprietors of Shetland were first induced about the
beginning of the eighteenth century to take the ling fishing into
their own hands, supplying their tenants with materials, and
receiving the fish at a stipulated rate.* The system which grew up
after this change is referred to by Dr. Adam Smith,** and appears
to have been in full vigour in at least one part of Shetland but a
few years ago. It is thus described by a witness, William Stewart,
as it existed till 1862 in Whalsay, where he was a tenant of the late
Mr. Bruce of Simbister:-
'8978. What rent did you pay there?-The rent I always paid for
my ground was 26s.'
'8979. Did you fish for Mr. Bruce at that time?-Yes, for the late
Mr. William Bruce.'
'8980. And you had an account with him at the shop in
Whalsay?-Yes.'
'8981. How did you pay your rent?-Generally by fishing.'
'8982. Was it put into your account?-Yes. The thing was carried
on on a very strange system. Our land was put in to us at a low
rent, and our fish were taken from us at as low a value. The prices
for the fish never varied, either for the spring or summer.'
'8983. Do you mean that they were the same every year?-They
were. Whatever they might be in the markets, they were all the
same to us.'
'8984. Had you never the benefit of a rise in the market at all?-
Never.'
'8985. Did you not object to that?-We had just to content
ourselves with it, or leave the place.'
'8986. It was part of your bargain for your land, that you were to
give your fish at a certain rate?-Yes; there were so much of the
fish taken off for the land. That was the first of the fishing. We
got 3s. 4d. a cwt. for ling, 2s. 6d. for tusk, and 20d. for cod, and so
much of each kind of fish was taken off until the land was paid
for; and then the prices were raised to 4s, I think, for ling, 3s. 2d.
for tusk, and 2s. 6d. for cod, for all the rest of the summer fishing.'
'8987. Did you get these prices for a number of years?-I think for
the thirteen years that I was on the station they never varied one
halfpenny for the summer fishing. The prices for the winter
fishing varied a little. Sometimes we would sell the small cod as
low as 2s. 6d, and at other times at 3s.'
'8988. Did you sell the winter fishing for payment at the time, or
did it go into the account too?-It was never put into the account
at all; we just got what we required for it. It was ready payment;
but it was very rarely that we got money for the winter fishing.'
'8989. Did you know at the time that the prices you were paid at
the latter part of the season were lower than the market price of
the fish?-We knew that; but it was just the bargain.'
'8990. Was that the system with all the tenants in Whalsay at that
time?-With every one.'
'8991. When did that system cease?-I think it ceased about a year
after I came here-about 1863.'
[W. Stewart, 8978; See J.S. Houston, 9727.]
* Edmonstone's <View of the Zetland Islands>, vol. ii., p. 232.,
Brand's <Brief Description of Orkney, Zetland>, etc., pp. 73, 89,
128, 136, etc. (Edin. 1701).
** <Wealth of Nations>, b.i.c. xi.