244 Mn. T. SOUTHWELL on the herring fishery. 
Ill November, 'wliicli is the Herring month par excellence, there 
was a great improvement upon the previous montli, both catches 
and prices being fairly remunerative. Some of tlie boats, towards 
the end of the month, are reported to have brought in from 
10 to 12 lasts, and one, the “ Caister Castle” of Yarmouth, 
on the 23rd November arrived with the enormous quantity 
of 20 lasts or 204,000 fish. In December the catches rapidly 
fell oif, and by the middle of that month the season was virtually 
over. 
It is difficult to say what the result of the voyage was, as, 
from the element of uncertainty which pervades all fishing matters, 
it is impossible from the material available to form anything like 
an exact estimate of the average price realised by the fish. Some 
have doubtless done exceedingly well ; but on the wliole the result, 
so far as regards Yarmouth, w'as probably about an average one. 
From Lowestoft, however, there are serious complaints of the 
unprofitableness of the voyage. Perhaps the average price might 
be taken at about j£10 per last; and as there were 15,054 lasts taken 
at the autumn fishery at Yarmouth, and about GOO boats employed, 
and G804 lasts and 400 boats at Lowestoft, this valuation would 
give £250 per boat for the former port, and £170 for the latter; 
but as a large number of the boats at each port Avere strangers of 
smaller size, and carrying feAver nets than the home boats, this 
element AA'Ould have to be alloAved for in anything like an accurate 
estimate of the return. 
The total catch of the year, as Avill be seen by the table 
appended (for the particulars of Avhich I am indebted to 
Mr. II. Teasdel, Jun., the Corporation Accountant at Yarmouth, 
and j\lr. Massingham, Harbour-master of LoAvestoft), Avas 1G,509 
lasts for the former port, and 9511 lasts for the latter, or a total 
of 2G,020 lasts against 38,258 lasts in 1884. The number of boats 
sailing from the tAvo ports Avas about 595 English, manned by 
some G245 men and boys, and about 400 Scotch and others, 
carrying some 2800 hands. 
The size and quality of the fish have been decidedly superior to 
those of 1884. In October and November I measured many fish 
from 10 to 11 in., Avhich appeared to bo fair samples of the bulk, 
and in one very'iine lot fish measuring 12 and 12;^ in. Avere by no 
means scarce. 
