THE HERRING FISHERY. 



Methods of 

 discovering 

 the presence 

 of herrings. 



Trawling. 



Steam 

 launches a 

 benefit. 



Drift-nets. 



Successes of 



drift-net 



fishing. 



Decrease at 

 various places 

 not to be 

 attributed to 

 over-fishing. 



Sudden move- 

 ments of 

 herrings. 



Recent im- 

 provement on 

 drift-net. 



There are different ways of discovering their where- 

 abouts, sometimes by the presence of gulls, " gannets," 

 porpoises, or the whale. But what is most depended on is 

 what fishermen term " putting up." Bubbles are seen rising 

 to the surface caused by the water passing through the gills 

 of the herrings. The other appearances mentioned are 

 often on small fry, but this of " putting up " seldom fails. 

 When seen the net is run out in the form of a half circle 

 and hauled near the shore, if possible. The two ends of 

 the net are hauled into the boat, forcing the herring into 

 the centre or bag, where they can be taken out with baskets. 

 Heavy fishings are also got in the middle of our channels 

 by making a circle with this net. I think that steam 

 launches would be a benefit for trawling purposes, as the 

 boats are too large to be easily managed with oars, and 

 they could go a greater distance in calm weather to look 

 for herrings. The take with drift-nets on the west of 

 Scotland has been greatly on the increase for the last two 

 or three seasons, while in Loch Hourn it has been unpre- 

 cedented. 



Our east coasts both in England and Scotland have also 

 done well, and good "takes" have been fished at the 

 Orkneys. Some of the boats fished there two hundred 

 crans in a few weeks. At Howth and Ardglass it has 

 fallen off greatly, and no reason can be given for it. It 

 cannot, however, I think, be attributed to over-fishing. In 

 my own experience I have observed that herrings will 

 frequent certain grounds for a number of years, then 

 suddenly leave, to return again when not expected. 



An improvement has of recent years been made on the 

 drift-net which I cannot explain better than by saying that 

 the net is turned upside down. The strong rope is under- 

 neath, and a small cord or rope is run along the upper edge 



