Scottish Fishing Stations
When the British Fisheries Society was formed, it set to work at once establishing new centres.
Tobermory was the first port to be developed on the west coast of Scotland in 1787, followed by Ullapool in 1788 and Loch Bay in Skye in 1795.
When the town of Tobermory was established, it was expected that people who were already working the land would develop their skills as fishermen and tradesmen. However, few local people had the knowledge or the money to build boats or go to sea.
Later, the kelp industry provided employment opportunities, but only for a short time.
Ullapool was selected to take advantage of the herring fishing industry which had flourished in Loch Broom.
However, around the end of the 18th century, the large shoals of herring vanished because the herring had been overfished.
Because of the declining shoals, the British Fisheries Society and the fishing projects along the west coast were not so successful.
The Fisheries Society came under pressure to develop the fishing ports on the north east coast, so they turned their attention to the Caithness coast.