52 



TRAWL-CAUGHT HERRING LANDED AT 

 NORTH SHIELDS. 



By a. meek and B. STORROW. 



Large quantities of herrings caught by local trawlers were 

 landed at North Shields during the months September and 

 October of 1911. The fish were first obtained on the 26th 

 of August, and by the 16th of October some 680 tons had been 

 landed, some of the boats having extremely large catches. On 

 the 26th of October the skipper of the "Wild Rose" said that 

 the herrings were becoming thinner in number, and were 

 scarcely worth going after. In November small quantities were 

 caught, the last lot of which there is any record being on the 

 15th, when 20 baskets each containing about 150 fish, and 

 caiight 135 miles E.N.E. of the Tyne, were landed by the "Wild 

 Rose," the skipper informing us that they had been catching 

 from one to two baskets each drag. 



The fish when landed were in good condition, the larger 

 individuals were mature, and almost ready for spawning, and 

 save for the loss of scales were equal in quality to drift-net herring. 

 In the latter part of October and in November the quality was 

 not so good, as many "spents" were taken, and most of the 

 remainder were too small for curing. These herrings then 

 were gathered together for the purpose of spawning, and differ 

 from those caught off the Northumberland coast during the 

 summer months in having a later spawning season. 



The area fished during the period when the largest catches 

 were made was situated 120 miles E. of the Tyne and extended 

 about 25 miles to the N.E. and S.W. of this position. Towards 

 the latter part of October the fishing was chiefly in the southern 

 portion of this area. 



For a short time in the middle of October, and in the same 

 area as the herrings were found, large quantities of mackerel 

 were caught, one vessel taking as many as 250 large baskets in 

 one haul of two hours duration. The contents of the stomachs 

 of ten of these mackerel were examined and were found to 

 consist of the scales of some young fish. 



