A Tale of Two Fishing Boat Graveyards

Abstract

Two survey and research projects by SCAPE, NAS, the North of Scotland Archaeological Society, Findhorn Heritage, and volunteers at Loch Fleet, East Sutherland and Findhorn Bay, Moray, have documented two early 20th‐century boat graveyards. These encompass the remains of the local herring fleets that were largely composed of the mighty Zulu herring drifters, once ubiquitous but now very rare in the archaeological record. Survey and research have shown how these sites tell the story of the decline of the local fisheries, illustrate the development of the national industry, and give insight into the responses of these fishing communities in this changing world.