MU. T. SOUTHWELL ON THE HERRING FISHERY'. 381 
weather occasionally helped the home boats a little by keeping 
the Scotch boats in port, but on their resuming fishing, the glut 
only became the greater. 
Taking the season as a whole, the (juality of the fish was far 
beloYv the average, and the only period when really good Herring 
Yvere brought in, Yvas for about a fortnight in November, added 
to which the shoals lay a long distance oft, very few fish being 
ca])turod inside Smith’s Knowle. 
Mr. A. L. Gowing, of Yarmouth, in answer to ray enquiries, 
Yvrites mo as follows with regard to some of the causes of the low 
])rices realised during the autumn voyage : “ Wo had some heavy 
gluts, on which days jirices ran down dreadfully ; good fresh 
Herring, although not very large, selling as loYV as £l lOs. per 
bust. The great nui.sanco yvo suffered from all the season Yvas the 
terribly largo (quantities of OY'cr-day, and oven third-day Herrings 
that Yvcrc landed ; these Yvero, of course, a drug in the market, 
and only made Yvretched jwices — some days a.s little as lOs. per last. 
The Herrings lying a long Yvay off, contrary Yvinds, and \'cry Ioyv 
])i’ice of Salt Herrings, accounts for so many over-day fresh fish 
being landed, the fishermen not caring to spend the money on the 
salt to cure them.” 
The number of Scotch and north country boats is becoming a 
serious matter to the home fishermen; at Yarmouth they number 
about 320 against 300 home boats, and at LoYvestoft some 130 
against 280 belonging to that port ; the Scotch are also introducing 
steam propellers into the drift fishing, and fi\'e very fine boats 
from Greenock and Hanff sailed from Yarmouth ; but I am informed 
that they haY'e not paid, and it is not probable that steam Yvill 
oYTi’ be extensively used for that purpose. 
It Yvill be seen that the total catch of Herring during the year 
1886 for the ports of Yarmouth and LoYvestoft was 33,329 last.s, 
the largest (quantity, Yvith the exception of the year 1884, Yvhich 
I liaY'^e yet had to record, the month of November alone q^roducing 
14,857 lasts. It is impossible to say Yvith any degree of accuracy 
the avciage qu’ico, but it YY'ould probably not exceed £6 per last ; 
and I am assured that on the Yvhole the season of 1886 is one of 
the “blackest on record.” 
A remarkable feature of the past season was the presence of 
^lackcrel during the Yvholc of the Autumn Fishery, some of the 
