THE HERRING FISHING INDUSTRY 55 



being Stornoway. In early June herrings are caught 

 in the waters round the Orkneys and Shetlands, and 

 then in succession off Wick, Fraserburgh and Peterhead, 

 and the Northumberland coast (Eyemouth, Berwick 

 and Sea Houses). About the middle of July the herring 

 fishery season begins at Blyth and Shields, and at 

 Scarborough and Grimsby towards the end of July. 

 At Yarmouth and Lowestoft it begins early in October. 

 The last herrings to be caught in British waters are 

 caught round Devon and Cornwall in December. 



Of the various kinds of herring obtained at different 

 places, the largest and finest fish are those caught in 

 Downings Bay off the North of Ireland, Castle Bay off 

 the Island of Barra in the South Hebrides, and off the 

 Shetlands. Herrings differ very much in their suitability 

 for handling, keeping and curing. Most herrings have 

 a small gut which is easily removed without seriously 

 damaging the body of the fish. Blyth and Shields her- 

 rings, however, are very rich and fat, and have a specially 

 big, distended gut. Such herrings are difficult to clean 

 because, when this large gut is removed, the belly of the fish 

 is so tender that it is often broken. Herrings caught off 

 these ports are fat and oily, so that many are landed in 

 a broken condition. The Yarmouth herring is firm and 

 hard, and is the best adapted for handling and curing. 



Unlike that of the cod, the flesh of the herring is very 

 rich in oil and fat. The body flesh of the herring con- 

 sists essentially of two well-developed layers of adipose 

 tissue, alternating with two layers of muscular tissue. 

 The fat in this adipose tissue is very liquid and oily, 

 and tends to make the fish tender. The actual amount 

 of body fat varies widely throughout the year. It 

 gradually rises to a maximum before spawning takes 

 place, and diminishes slightly before spawning and 

 afterwards rapidly to a minimum. Thus, the fat content 



