FISHERMEN IN WAR TIME 



ishing manner, and that while certain kinds of fish 

 might be started at the nominal sum of £4 for a 

 particular class of package the bidding would pos- 

 sibly rise to ^10. It was urged that the whole evil 

 of the consumer being forced to pay abnormal prices 

 was due to the absence of adequate control of prices 

 at the fountain-head. 



While phenomenal incomes were made by a large 

 body of men who were engaged in the deep sea and 

 inshore fisheries, proportionate wages were paid to 

 subsidiary workers ashore — in a law case, for ex- 

 ample, it was stated that a lad of seventeen was 

 getting £1 a day as a fish porter at Billingsgate 

 Market. 



As the war progressed it became necessary to take 

 steps to regulate wages and pay, and amongst other 

 things the Admiralty appointed a Fisheries Com- 

 mittee for Grimsby to regulate and control the 

 fisheries of that port, with the object of maintaining 

 a regular supply of deep sea fish. A number of 

 prominent trawler owners composed the committee, 

 to which a full naval status was given. The task 

 before this body was not an easy one, and trouble 

 soon arose owing to a new agreement by which 

 crews were called upon to agree to special require- 

 ments of the Admiralty. So serious became the 

 situation that a great strike was imminent ; but this 

 was averted by holding over certain requirements 

 and making concessions to trawlers' crews which 

 added about £1 weekly to the average earnings of 

 the men. 



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