122 NORTH SEA FISHERS AND FIGHTERS 



hatching them, as there were signs of life ; a few, 

 indeed, hatched out, but almost immediately died. It 

 was feared that the current of water in the troughs 

 was too strong for the tender fry. 



No better means of realising the gigantic proportions 

 of the modern herring-fisheries around our coasts, but 

 mostly in the North Sea, is afforded than a study of 

 the last report of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 

 This was issued in May 1911, and forms a most 

 valuable and fascinating work in relation to all the 

 Scottish fisheries. The record herring-catch was in 

 1907, when 6,253,341 cwt. of the fish were landed, 

 their value being ,1,795,650, with an average price 

 per cwt. of 55. 9d. In 1910 the figures were 5,687,226 

 cwt. and "1,594,308, the average price being 55. 7d. 

 The average for 1899 was 75. o^d., and that for 

 1904 was 35. 9d., an astonishing comparison which 

 shows the erratic value of fish. The operations of the 

 Scotch herring-fishers are not confined to Scotland ; 

 they share largely in the herring-fisheries of England 

 and Ireland. In 1910 1257 boats took part in the 

 English fishing, their catches being of the value of 

 456,528, compared with ,242, 460 and 679 boats in 

 1899. It will be seen that the total value of the 

 herrings caught by Scotch fishermen during 1910, 

 mostly in the North Sea, was well over 2,000,000. 

 More than one and three-quarters of a million barrels 

 of herrings were exported to the Continent, the 

 greater part going to Germany and Russia. From 

 40 to 50 per cent, of the total quantity of herrings 

 exported to Germany is sent over the frontier to 

 Russia. More than 80 per cent, of the herrings cured, 



