176 FISHERIES OF THE NORTH SEA 



worth the study of those who are interested 

 in the question. 



May we be allowed, in this time of meat scarcity, 

 to draw attention to the necessity of the systematic 

 conservation of fish and its equal distribution as 

 food ? The total quantity of fish landed in Great 

 Britain in 1913 was 23,980,724 cwt., of which about 

 one-half consisted of herring and mackerel. The 

 actual herring catch was 11,845,578 cwt. This is im- 

 portant ; for, while the catch of all fish has decreased, 

 that of herring is relatively least affected by the war, 

 for it is a fishery pursued near our coasts and by 

 comparatively small vessels. Further, it is a fishery 

 which is carried on all the year round, that of Storno- 

 way commencing in January, different areas around 

 the North of Scotland and the East Coasts coming 

 successively into season, the Lowestoft fishing 

 ending with November. 



Of the herring landed in the United Kingdom in 

 1913, no less than 9,961,830 cwt. was exported, 

 88 per cent thereof being either cured or salted. 

 Of other fish, less than one million cwt. was exported. 

 Of the 4J million cwt. of herring landed in Scotland, 

 95 per cent were cured, the value being estimated 

 at about 145. per cwt. The fresh herring could not 

 be put wholesale on the market at id. per lb., or 

 Jd. each, and there was no alternative but to cure 

 and export them. A glut of herring regularly 

 occurs at each fishing post in the season, and in summer 

 there is no method but that of pickling for dealing 

 with the excess of fish. 



