FISHERMEN AND FISHERIES. 181 



enforcing close seasons and limiting the mesh and the kinds 

 of nets, was in force the average quantity of herrings 

 cured every year exceeded 652,000 barrels. During the last 

 twelve years this annual average has been still further 

 augmented to 924,459 barrels. The value of these figures 

 is still further increased when the fact is taken into con- 

 sideration that since 1869 the statistics refer solely to 

 Scotland, while prior to that year they included, as already 

 pointed out, the Isle of Man, and, before 1850, they em- 

 braced a considerable portion of the English coast as well. 



Although all the laws, both "protective" and " pro- The brand 



question. 



motive," in regard to the herring fisheries have been swept 

 away, one remnant of them still survives in an official, and 

 another in an unofficial, form. Of the latter, viz. the custom 

 which still obtains in some parts of Scotland, among the 

 curers, of paying the fishermen a " bounty " in addition to 

 the market or contract price of the fish, no notice need be 

 taken here. The other, the retention of the " Government 

 Brand " guaranteeing the quality of the herrings cured, 

 demands some notice. This brand is a survival of the old 

 bounty laws which required, in the case of the larger fish, 

 like cod, that those on which the bounty had been paid 

 should have their tails cut off, and, in the case of herrings 

 and other small fish, that the barrels should be branded to 

 prevent them from being brought up a second time to claim 

 the premium. To be entitled to the bounty the fish had to 

 be of a certain quality, and packed in a particular manner, 

 and the Government officers, before giving the brand and 

 passing the fish, had to examine them to see that they 

 complied with the regulations. When the bounty was 

 abolished it was deemed expedient to retain the brand, in 

 deference to the strong feeling of the trade that their 

 interests would suffer if the quality of their herrings was no 



