CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY OF THE HERRING-FISHERY, 349 



we hardly know an instance of a fisherman or fisherman's 

 son preferring another profession to a seafaring life, so 

 much have example and habit wedded them to their 

 dangerous and exciting avocation. 



SUGGESTIONS AS TO THE IMPROVEMENT AND 

 EXTENSION OF THE HERRING-FISHERY. 



1. All British fishing vessels and boats ought to be 

 exempted from paying any charge whatever in the shape 

 of harbour dues, lights, petty customs, or tithes, — the 

 vested rights as to petty customs or tithes to be protected 

 by commutation, and paid for by assessments on the towns 

 or communities where such exactions are made. 



2. It is of the utmost importance for the proper pre- 

 servation of the herring, that it be carefully protected 

 from sun, wind, and rain, after being shaken out of the 

 nets into open boats ; this is not at present sufliciently 

 attended to. We would suggest that each boat proceeding 

 to the herring fishery should be provided with a move- 

 able deck or covering, to be applied after the nets are 

 taken in ; this ought either to be enforced by law, or the 

 practice encouraged by a small bounty or premium. 



3. Considerable shoals of herring often come upon 

 coasts and into bays, particularly in the North and West 

 Highlands, where there may be few or no fishing-boats, 

 while, at the same time, many fishing-boats may be lying 

 unemployed for want of herrings at other localities. 

 It would be highly beneficial that immediate intelligence 

 of the arrival of such shoals be communicated to the 

 fishery-officers at the adjacent stations, who, in such cases, 

 might immediately send information to such localities, 

 and the other stations, by notices in the newspapers, &c. 



