THE BRITISH HERRING FISHERY 



as it can be thrown out to them. At a big port like 

 Grimsby it will be hurried off to the market and sold 

 by auction, or at current market-price. In many places 

 the steam -carrier is requisitioned. She comes out to 

 meet the fleet at dawn, and the agents on board buy each 

 boat-load (or undertake to dispose of it at the market) as 

 it comes alongside. 



As far as the picturesque is concerned, one cannot help 

 regretting that the account of the herring-fishery as out- 

 lined above must soon be decidedly "out of date." 

 Following American and Norwegian examples our herring- 

 fleets have gradually congregated in the big ports, have 

 substituted the purse-seine or the trawl for the old gill- 

 net, and are even abandoning the luggers of our child- 

 hood in favour of ponderous steamers. 



By means of the purses mentioned in the last chapter 

 an entire shoal will be taken (amounting sometimes to 

 hundreds of thousands), necessitating the employment 

 of extra deck-hands and the erection of huge store and 

 clearing-houses. 



In addition to those herring caught here, millions are 

 brought to Hull and Lowestoft from Norway. The Nor- 

 wegian fishermen, on sighting a shoal, lower into the 

 water an imitation whale, made of wood and weighted ; 

 and, terrified at sight of this, the herring swim into a 

 bay which forms a natural trap. Huge purse-seines are 

 then shot and the whole shoal is rapidly netted. The 

 catch is sold by the box or in one lot ; in the latter case 

 the buyer bargains while the fish are still in the water, 

 and estimates the value with the aid of a water spy-glass. 



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