THE HERRING FISHERY. 433 
headed up and stowed in the hold until such time as the vessel shall arrive at the market where 
they are to be sold. The fish in this condition are known as “‘sea-packed” herring, and bring about 
two-thirds of the price of herring that are properly packed. 
HERRING-CURING ON SHORE.—On reaching the market the fish are sold to some of the prin- 
cipal dealers, who at once dump them out of the barrels and thoroughly wash them. They are then 
weighed in lots of two hundred pounds, each lot being carefully packed in a barrel by itself, care 
being taken that the herring may be placed in such a position as to show to the best advantage. A 
quantity of salt is sprinkled among them as they are packed. When the barrel is full it is headed 
up and a hole is bored in one side, through which a quantity of strong brine is poured upon the 
fish. After being allowed to settle for a number of hours, more brine is added, care being taken 
that the barrel shall be completely filled. The hole is then plugged up and the fish are ready for 
market. 
In many cases the fishermen in the vicinity of the larger fishing ports dispose of their herring 
before they have been salted. As soon as the nets have been hauled they set sail and proceed to 
the harbor, where, unless some contract has been previously made, the catch is sold to the highest 
bidder. The fish are at once thrown upon the wharf and salt is sprinkled upon them. They are 
then shoveled into boats or hogsheads, and strong brine is added until they are completely cov- 
ered. Here they are allowed to remain for a number of days or weeks, until they are thoroughly 
cured, when they are packed as above described. 
Another brand known as “split” or ‘“gibbed” herring is frequently put up. The split fish 
differ from the round herring in that the gills and entrails have been removed. The gibbing is 
usually done by the fishermen before the herring are salted. A rough method of gibbing, which 
is occasionally employed, is to tear the gills from the fish by means of the thumb and fore-finger, 
and to remove the entrails through the opening thus made. The more common practice, however, 
is to split the fish down the belly with a knife, in order that the viscera and gills may be more 
easily removed. The blood is also scraped from the backbone, and the fish are thrown into a tub 
of water to be soaked before salting. When the blood has been sufficiently removed to give the 
herring a light color they are carefully packed in barrels, with enough salt to preserve them. The 
roe-bags of spawning herring are usually left in the fish, as these are considered a great luxury by 
the Irish. Most of the gibbed herring are among the best quality of fat fish taken on the coast, 
and fish of inferior quality are generally salted without splitting. The market price of split her- 
ring is usually from one to two dollars more than that of fish prepared in the ordinary way. 
It is claimed by many that the American methods of curing are very inferior to those employed 
in other countries, as the fish are often allowed to remain a considerable time before they are salted, 
and they are also washed and new pickle is used for repacking them. By changing the pickle, or by 
soaking the fish, they are thought by many to lose much of the rich and delicate flavor for which 
the herring are so highly prized by the herring-eating nations of Europe. In Holland and other 
countries where herring are regarded with great favor the fishermen aim to salt the catch as soon 
as possible after the fish have been taken, and the herring are seldom allowed to stand more than 
two or three hours before they are cared for. 
HERRING-CURING IN SCOTLAND.—The method of curing in Scotland is described by Mr. Ber- 
tram in the following manner : 
“ At stations about Wick the quantity of herrings disposed of fresh is comparatively small, 
so that by far the larger portion of the daily catch has to be salted. This process during a good 
season employs a very large number of persons, chiefly as coopers and gutters; and as the barrels 
have to be branded, by way of certificate of the quality of their contents, it is necessary that the 
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