FISH-NOTES FROM GREAT YARMOUTH. 19 



1914. 

 Boats fishing out of Yarmouth . :i70 drifterB. 



Number of crans landed , . 177,459 crans. 



1913 (Record Year). 

 Boats fishing out of Yarmouth . . 099 drifters. 

 Number of crans landed . . . 824,213 crans. 



The statistics for Lowestoft may be liberally estimated at 

 nearly two-thirds those of Yarmouth. 



A few other items may be worth noting : 1915 saw the 

 smallest fleet fishing out of this port for many years, but the 

 sales of Herrings have made the highest prices ever recorded. 

 The biggest price reached was for a moderate catch, which went 

 at 146s. per cran. Last year there were occasions when " over 

 days" went for as low as 10s. per cran; none went this year 

 below 40s., and this was rare. 



The boats plying were of the older type of steam-drifters, the 

 pick of the fleets having been taken by the naval authorities for 

 mine-sweeping, etc. The same remark might almost apply to 

 the fisherfolk ! The majority of the catches have been con- 

 sumed in the Homeland, although the Scotch curers "developed 

 a market in the United States, and local merchants cultivated a 

 trade with France" (from report in 'Eastern Daily Press')- Some 

 of the motor Scotch vessels earned up to £2000 for two months' 

 work, and the larger steamboats made remarkable earnings, in 

 one recorded instance as much as £4300. No boat's fishing 

 proved a failure ; the fish were plentiful, and the grounds less 

 crowded with nets. One Scotch boat earned £2400 in eleven 

 days. A boat bought for £650 on purpose for this fishing made 

 £700 in one week. 



In ordinary seasons some 200 steamers come hither to load 

 "pickles" for the Continent; this year they were entirely 

 absent, a few small coasting steamers taking what was exported 

 to other ports, for transhipment. The reduced number of Scotch 

 and other buyers, herring-girls, coopers, carters, etc., from 

 North Britain naturally affected the income of the port and town 

 to a very serious extent. 



Not the least interesting feature connected with a " fisher- 

 man's fishing " — i. e., a remunerative one for the catchers — is its 



