128 THE SEA FISHERIES 



The Yarmouth and Scottish fishings are quite distinct, the 

 former being much later in the year, and it is customary for vessels 

 to fit out for both. The Yarmouth fisheries naturally shared to 

 some extent in the vicissitudes of the Scottish fisheries already 

 described. While the method of fishing is identical at both fisheries, 

 the cured product is, in the main, dissimilar, the Yarmouth herring 

 being usually dried or smoked. 



In the fourteenth century there are numerous references in 

 State and other papers to these herring and herring fisheries. In 

 1338, fifty-six lasts of herrings are mentioned in a list of provisions 

 for the English Army in France.^ 



Later in the same century (1357 and 1360) the Statutes of Herring 

 give one a good idea of the state of the fisheries. By the first it 

 was enacted that herring should not be sold at sea, but " brought 

 freely and unsold into the haven of Yarmouth," where the fair was 

 kept. People were forbidden to buy herrings to hang in their 

 houses " by covin," nor in other manner, at a higher price than 

 40S. per last, containing 10,000 herrings. Neither shall any pyker 

 (a small vessel) practise the buying of fresh herring in the haven 

 of Yarmouth, betwixt Michaelmas and the feast of St. Martin. 

 The later statute removed some of the restrictions on the sale of 

 herring. 



One of the earliest accounts of the Great Yarmouth herring 

 fisheries which has any value is that describing the condition in 

 1791.2 At this time the fishery commenced on the 20th September 

 and continued through October, November and part of December. 

 The average value of a fishing boat was from £500 to ,£600, some 

 costing as much as ;£iooo. Boats of about 50 tons were considered 

 to be best adapted for the fishing. Each boat carried a number of 

 nets corresponding to the tonnage. A " dole " is two nets of 21 yd. 

 each m length, 4 lints broad, fifty-two meshes in each lint. The 

 nets are all barked with great care, and when fit for sea a dole is 

 valued at £3 3s. The decked boats carry two masts, which they 

 can set or " duff," and which they commonly do when they set the 

 nets, and let the vessel drive with the tide. The nets were worked 

 by a capstan. Each boat carried twelve hands, and usually stayed 

 at sea three, four or even six days. The fish were salted in the hold 

 and brought home for curing red. Returns had to be made at 

 the custom-house, for bounty purposes. At this time the business 

 at Yarmouth was entirely for red herring, the chief market being 

 the Straits. This year about fifty vessels were fitted out from 



1 An Historical and Chronological Deduction of the Origin of Commerce, from 

 the Earliest Accounts. 4 vols. London, 1787, by Anderson, Vol. I, p. 307. 

 i^ Second Report on the State of the British Herring Fisheries, 1798, p. 254 



