HERRING INVESTIGATION, 1918. 



By DOROTHY COWAN. 



During the herring season of 1918, twelve samples, 3,000 fish 

 have been examined. As the fishing grounds were determined 

 by the Naval Authorities, and all the vessels fished in a com- 

 paratively small area, the samples are representative of the fish 

 landed . 



With the exception of the samples from Berwick and one from 

 North Shields, the herrings have been examined in curing houses 

 in order to allow of the fish being cured and put on the market 

 for food. Thanks are due to all who facilitated the work, especially 

 to Mr. Richard Dawson whilst he was at North Shields, and to 

 Mr. Peter Cowie, of Berwick. The first sample from Berwick 

 and one from North Shields, which were examined at the Laboratory 

 were used at the request of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries 

 for the purpose of obtaining racial characters. Copies of the 

 measurements and the age composition of the samples have been 

 forwarded to the Board. 



The date and origin of the samples are given in Table I. Chart 

 1 gives the localities from which they were taken, and show^s that, 

 with the exception of sample Al, the fish examined came from 

 the ordinar}^ fishing ground of the Northumberland and Durham 

 coasts. 



Particulars as to size and age are given in Tables II. and III., 

 and following the plan adopted in former years a further analysis 

 of size and age is given in Table IV. 



The predominant year class during the season of 1918 was 

 that with three winter rings, and this year class comprises from 

 forty to sixty per cent, of the fish examined in all samples, with 

 one exception. The exception is sample 1, which contains 46 per 

 cent, of herring with four winter rings. It was taken fairly early 

 in the season, 12th Juh% and the place of capture was, as will be 



