VOL. LXXXII.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 243 



XVIII. On the Remarkable Failure of Haddocks, on the Coasts of Northumber- 

 land, Durham, and Yorkshire. By the Rev. Cooper Abbs, of Sunderland, 

 p. 367. 



The great loss sustained by the counties of Northumberland, Durham, and 

 Yorkshire, by the almost total failure of haddocks, during the last 3 seasons, is 

 a circumstance of serious consequence to these maritime counties, and perhaps 

 not unworthy the notice and attention of the gentleman and philosopher. As 

 far back as the memory of the oldest man reaches, for about 3 months in the 

 year, beginning about Martinmas, prodigious quantities of haddocks, in fine 

 weather, were daily caught on the above coasts, which gave employment to 

 great numbers of men, and afforded a cheap and very acceptable article of food 

 to all ranks of people, high and low. Besides the consumption on and near the 

 coasts, great quantities were constantly carried at least a hundred miles into and 

 over the country. In the winter of 1789, I am very credibly informed, and 

 sincerely believe, that not a ten-thousandth part (I speak much within bounds) 

 of the usual quantity was taken ; and .1 can venture to say, the quantity has 

 been not greater, if not much less, for the last 1 seasons, to the great astonish- 

 ment of the poor fishermen. 



I have frequently conversed with the most experienced men in this line of 

 business, to discover, if possible, the cause of this extraordinary failure. One 

 man, with more religious submission than philosophic judgment, ascribes it to 

 tlie will and pleasure of the Almighty ; a 2d, to the great quantities of ballast 

 cast by the colliers into the sea, at or near the mouths of the rivers Tyne and 

 Wear. But this seems a very inadequate reason ; for granting this act might in 

 some small degree affect these places for a few miles, yet it could not affect the 

 coasts at any considerable distance, either to the north or south. This last 

 circumstance has in some degree affected the lobsters within a few miles of the 2 

 rivers, by filling up the holes and cavities in or under the rocks, where the 

 lobsters used formerly to lie, and retreat to in stormy weather ; so that being 

 now in a great measure deprived of their old abodes of security, they are fre- 

 quently, in storms and tempests, thrown on the shore, shattered and broken in 

 pieces. A 3d ascribes the failure to the great number of dog-fish on the coasts; 

 but I suppose the number of them to be nearly the same, year by year. The 

 dog-fish is very voracious, and a great enemy to the fisherman and his tackle, 

 and therefore never spared when caught : besides, it is well known that dog-fish 

 chiefly pursue the shoals of herrings, which have left these coasts before the 

 haddocks come on. A 4th says, the shoal of haddocks has met with beds of 

 copperas at the bottom of the sea, and thus is poisoned ; but why should such 

 beds, supposing the case true, have worse effects in 1789j than at any time 

 before ? 



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