HERRING INVESTIGATIONS. 



I.— HERRING SHOALS. 



By B. STORROW. 



A general survey of our investigations of the herrings of the 

 Northumberland Coast* showed that there was a connexion between 

 the summer feeding shoals of our district and the winter spawning 

 shoals of the Firth of Forth. An extension of the area from which 

 our herring samples were obtained was therefore necessary. At 

 the same time it was felt that the opportunity should not be missed 

 of examining samples from as many shoals as possible in order 

 to obtain a knowledge of their composition after such a period 

 of comparative rest as that produced by the war. A scheme of 

 work was dra^\^i up and, with the approval of Professor Meek, 

 arrangements were made for sampling shoals as landed at the 

 ports of Stornoway, Lerwick, Wick, Peterhead, North Shields, 

 Scarborough, Grimsby and Great Yarmouth, and also the sampling 

 of the shoals of the Firth of Forth. 



Through the kindness of the Editor, I was put into communica- 

 tion with " Viking " of the Fish Trades Gazette, and he gave me 

 valuable suggestions which helped me to obtain samples from the 

 different ports. It gives me much pleasure to record here my 

 appreciation of the help I have received and the information I 

 have obtained about herrings and herring shoals from Mr. Duncan 

 Maclver of Stornoway, Mr. Alex. McKenzie and Mr. Thomas 

 Brown of Lerwick, IVir. Robt. H. Johnston of Kirkwall, Mr. A. 

 Wood of Wick, Mr. James Ritchie and Mr. John Sutherland of 

 Peterhead, Messrs. J. Sellers & Son of Scarborough, Mr. H. H. 

 Jay and Mr. Beazor of Yarmouth, and Mr. Fred. Frazer and Mr. 

 Walker of New haven. Owing to the state of the herring fishery, 

 Mr. H. Gruby of Grimsbj^ Avas unable to arrange for the sending 

 of samples of the herrings landed at that port. As in previous 

 years, we are indebted to oui- manj^ friends at North Shields. 



* Report, 1919, New Series VIH. 



