The Herring Fishery. 53 



summer herring is a larger, handsomer, and fatter fish than 

 the spring herring ; for whilst the spring herrings are 

 only from six to seven inches in length, the midsummer 

 herring is generally eight to nine inches. As the warm 

 weather comes on, so the quality of the midsummer herring 

 improves. 



The spring herring fishery begins at the end of Feb- 

 ruary, and continues to the end of May. These herrings 

 are of great value to the Lowestoft people ; from 20,000 

 to 30,000 are put into circulation in Lowestoft, and 

 upwards of 1000 men and boys employed on the water 

 during the spring herring fishery. At that time boat- 

 owners have no other employment for their men ; 80 to 90 

 boats go out from Lowestoft, and several from Gorleston, 

 to catch these spring herrings. 



A large proportion of these herrings is sold for bait 

 to the Dutch and French fishermen, who come over to 

 Lowestoft on purpose to buy them. They are used to 

 bait the long lines, to catch halibut, turbot, etc. 



HERRINGS CAUGHT AT LOWESTOFT. 



Spring Midsummer Autumnal 



Year. herrings. herrings. herrings. 



Lasts. Lasts. Lasts. 



1873 1887 54 10,973 



1874 2546 112 ... 9,173 



1875 ... 1064 ... 106 



The commercial importance of the Lowestoft fisheries 

 may be seen from the following figures, showing the 

 number of boats and men employed at the port : 



Trawling smacks ... .. ... 78 



Luggers and dandies ... ... ... 260 



Small boats ... ... ... ... 120 



The trawlers average 8 men and boys ; total, 624. The 



