FISHES. 



Yarmouth Jetty. Herring Boats returned. 



The Herring appears annually, on the northern coast of Scotland, in shoals, five or six miles long, and 

 four or five broad. Their coming is heralded by gulls, and other sea-birds, who hover over the shoals, and 

 depredate incessantly upon them. Yet in spite of the devastations of man, birds, and fishes, the numbers 

 seem undiminished. The fishery is conducted with boats and nets. As the Herring dies at once, on being 

 taken from the water, it must be cured at the first moment possible. The White Herrings are cured in 

 the boats, and the Red are suspended for twenty-four hours over a wood fire on shore> both kinds having 

 first been salted. 



The Herring fishery is carried on only during the spawning season, the fish then being in the highest 

 condition. The famous Yarmouth fishery commences about the middle of September, though the season 

 varies on different parts of the British coast. Thus, on the coast of Sutherland, the early fishery begins in 

 June, and the late fishery about the middle of July, and lasts till September. On the coast of Cromarty, 

 large shoals appear as early as May. 



The main object of this fishery is to procure Herrings for curing, though in the early part of the season 

 there is a large consumption of fresh Herrings in London, and other cities. The .spawning season being 

 over by the las' ■ f r > 'ober, or the early part of November, the fishing then terminates, as the fish are 

 exhausted and leave. 



The size of the boats used in this 

 fishery depends partly on the distance 

 from shore the fishery is to be carried 

 on, and partly on whether red or white 

 Herrings arc !o be cured. As the former 

 must be cured on shore, the red Her- 

 ring fishers must keep within a con- 

 venient distance from land. But as the 

 Uerring. latter may be cured on board the vessel, 



(844) 



