CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY OF THE HERRING -FISHERY. 347 



As it has been asserted that the fishermen are only 

 employed part of the year, and that merely in the herring 

 fishery, we think it but doing them justice to give a short 

 account of the usual occupation of the Newhaven and 

 neighbouring fishermen. 



In January the fishermen are actively employed : 

 some at the oyster dredge ; some proceed to fish the 

 winter herrings in the Firth ; some to fish sprats ; and 

 others to the cod, ling, haddock, and skate fishings. 



These may be considered the occupations of the fisher- 

 men for the different montlts down to May. In this 

 month, and in June, the majority of the enterprising- 

 fishermen proceed in their open boats to prosecute the 

 herring-fishery at various places in the north of Scotland, 

 sometimes as far as Stornoway in the Lewis Islands, 

 many to Wick, BanflT, Fraserburgh, &c., and continue 

 fishing there about two months ; and sometimes catch to 

 the extent of 350 barrels per boat. 



After returning from the northern fishing, some of them 

 proceed to Dunbar, Eyemouth, and other places on the 

 coast of Berwickshire and Northumberland, in pursuit of 

 herrings there, where they are frequently very successful. 

 In September the oyster fishery in the Forth commences, 

 which continues till May, and which affords to many a 

 never-failing but generally scanty means of support during 

 that period. As many as eighty boats may be seen in a 



