NOTES ON THE YARMOUTH HERRING EISHERY. 73 



corresponding period of last year. The great catches of October 

 were continued well into the first or second week of November, 

 when the weather became unsettled, and the fishermen were 

 in the same position and anxious to end the season. Many 

 Scottish crews, having made a good fishing, were anxious to 

 go north. I am informed that the steam-drifter, ■ The Light,' 

 returned to Fraserburgh from Yarmouth, having earned over 

 £1000. 



The abnormal catch of this season upset all calculations, 

 and the curers found that the ordinary stock of salt and barrels 

 was quite inadequate for the extraordinary demand. 



What a change came during the last week of November ! 

 The majority of the Scottish boats had returned to the north, 

 and the deliveries of fish were very poor. 



In former years the season has lasted close up to Christmas, 

 but compared with last year some strange results may be noted. 

 In 1911, the month of November was nearly over before the 

 heavy fishing began, whereas this year the great catches were all 

 over in the early days of that month in 1912. Compare the 

 figures for the week ending Nov. 16th. At Yarmouth the catch 

 for the week was 18,866 crans, and in the corresponding week of 

 1911 it was 70,696, but the season's catch on the same date 

 was 151,770 crans better than at the corresponding period of 

 1911. 



' The Fish Trades' Gazette ' of Dec. 7th, 1912, says :— " From 

 every point of view the fishings at the two chief centres (Yar- 

 mouth and Lowestoft) have been an unqualified success. The 

 quantity of Herring caught creates a record in the history of the 

 trade. . . . The thousands of shore hands employed in the great 

 industry have also profited by the bountiful harvest of the sea- 

 . . . There may be — indeed, there are — a few fishermen, as is 

 always the case, who have been unfortunate in the loss of gear, 

 but, taken on the whole, there has never been a Herring fishery 

 in East Anglian waters, or anywhere else, which has been of so 

 much general benefit, and for which there is so much occasion 

 for all-round gratitude." 



The following statement shows a Return of Herrings landed 

 at Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft in 1912 : — 



Zool. 4th ser. vol XVII., February, 1913. a 



