FISH-NOTES FROM GREAT YARMOUTH. 13 



instances the damage to nets was considerable. One boat 

 landed forty-five crans of fresh, others only having a few crans, 

 the price varying from 53s. to 60s. per cran. Overdays sold 

 from 48s. to 50s., the highest catch being twelve crans. Over- 

 night a local boat belonging to Mr. J. Breach arrived with a 

 nice catch of one hundred and fifty crans which averaged 40s. a 

 cran — a remunerative night's work." 



" Yarmouth, December 4th. — Some twenty boats arrived 

 yesterday, some of which had sixty crans, but the others had very 

 small takes, and the quality was not so good as it has been. 

 Fresh Herrings sold at 61s. 6d. to 57s. 6d. per cran. The con- 

 tinued rough weather with other circumstances is leading to 

 more boats making up, and the end of the voyage is not likely 

 to be very far off. The catch for the week to last Saturday was 

 5060 crans, making the total for the season 175,960 crans, as 

 compared with 808,496 crans last year. This season our export 

 of pickled Herrings has been practically nil. Last year at this 

 time we had exported 576,407 barrels and 177,232 half-barrels." 



Nothing of especial interest broke the dull monotony of the 

 daily round, save on the rare occasions when Herrings were very 

 scarce, then somewhat extraordinary prices were made. Several 

 boats had made up to the beginning of November from £700 to 

 £1000 for the fishing. A fishing voyage realising £700 to £800 

 was esteemed a good one for a sailing drifter — a type now 

 extinct ; whereas the voyage of a steam drifter, with its con- 

 sumption of coals and greater working expenses, needs to obtain 

 £1300 to £1400 to be characterised as a good one** 



On November 6th Herrings were at famine prices. One lot 

 of 'longshores (a small, compact, highly-prized Herring netted by 

 small boats near the shore), numbering eighty-eight fishes, sold 

 for 8s. 6d. to a Yarmouth buyer. 



In November stormy weather prevented the fleet going out. 

 On Friday (13th) but two boats had come in up to three o'clock 

 in the afternoon, and a third came in later. The first had about 

 three crans, which made 90s. per cran ; the last comer, with a 

 twenty cran " shot," made 97s. per cran to one buyer. Late on 



* The "top" English steam drifter the 'Girl Marjorie,' almost the last 

 boat to pursue the Herrings, made for her voyage some .£2700 ; a Berwick 

 boat coming second with £2500. 



