MR. T, SOUTHWELL ON THE HERRING FISHERY. 
477 
Board, showing that to this cause might be attributed to a very 
great extent the unsatisfactory condition of the Scotch Herring 
Fisliery, and in proof of tliis assertion I quoted statistics given by 
Professor Ewart, showing that whilst in I860 over 192,000 barrels 
of full “crown brand” Herrings were branded and only 171 
barrels of matties, in 1885 the proportions were 200,000 full and 
300,000 matties, Beferring to the important fishing station of 
Peterliead in the season of 1886, Professor Ewart speaks (Report 
p. xxxvii.) of the greatly improved quality of the fish landed, the 
proportion of full crown and matties being about equal, and states 
that the u.se of a wider mesh than those recently employed has 
“ witliout doubt materially led to such a favourable result.” 
In the Yarmouth fishery the importance of the size of the mesh 
is forcing itself upon the ow'ncrs, and tlie tendency has been in 
the direction of an increase in size. But for the lamentable season 
of 1886, which caused the owners to economise in the matter of nets, 
making their old ones do duty where possible, there would doubtless 
have been a further improvement in this respect ; but as last season 
has been fairly remunerative, it is probable that many new nets 
will bo made, and I am informed orders have alreaily been given for 
nets of twenty-nine and a half meshes to the yard. With regard 
to Lowestoft, as the greater portion of their Herrings are landed 
fresh, the owners appear to be of opinion that fair-sized Herrings 
answer their purpose quite as well as extra large ones, more 
especially as they can secure a greater number of the former than 
they could of the latter. It is probable therefore that they will 
continue to use nets of from thirty to thirty-tw’o rows per yard, 
which, however, is an improvement upon the mesh frequently' used 
a few years ago. The Yarmouth fishermen, although they fully 
acknowledge the rights of the Scotch boats to fish in our waters, 
still protest against their using the small-meshed nets wdiich so 
many of them employ, and complain that, having ruined their own 
fishery, were it not for circumstances (weather, &c.) over which 
they have no control, they would soon reduce our fishery to the 
same plight. 
I have said the Lowestoft Spring Herring Fishery was anything 
but a success. In February a few lasts w’ere landed, the number 
increasing in IMarch, but both quality and price were wretched. 
April is the height of the season, and 988 lasts were landed ; but 
