72 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



NOTES ON THE YARMOUTH HERRING FISHERY 



OF 1912. 



By Thomas J. Wigg. 



The autumn fishing commenced much earlier than usual 

 this year, and those connected with this industry began to arrive 

 at Yarmouth and Lowestoft during the third week in September, 

 but it was not until near the end of the month that work was 

 begun in earnest. Great preparations had been made for an 

 early start, and merchants and their workpeople gathered from 

 all parts of the English and Scottish coasts in readiness for the 

 harvest of the sea. 



A large number of boats were at sea during the last two or 

 three days of September, and, meeting with a great shoal of 

 Herrings within easy distance of Yarmouth and Lowestoft, heavy 

 catches were made, and about 20,000 crans (1000 fish = 1 cran) 

 were landed at each port in one day. Prices at this time ranged 

 from 32s. 6d. to 20s. per cran, according to quality and the 

 quantity landed. A Yarmouth boat, the 'Sunbeam,' beat all 

 records by making a haul of 320 crans (or approximately 320,000 

 fish). Two boats were required to bring this prodigious catch to 

 port. The fish, when sold, realized £520. 



All boats were not so fortunate, for during the middle of 

 October the catch and delivery were so great that thousands and 

 ten thousands of crans of Herrings were landed day by day. 

 On Monday, Oct. 12th, about 200 boats came in with the great 

 average catch of 50 crans, and on Tuesday about 150 Scotch 

 boats swelled the great catch by an average of 60 crans per boat, 

 with the result that prices fell to 10s. and 12s. a cran. Wednes- 

 day's catch averaged 35 crans from 250 boats, while the 500 

 boats which arrived on Thursday brought in a total of 25,000 

 crans. 



Lowestoft boats also made remarkable catches during this 

 week, and showed a total of over 80,000 crans more than at the 



