6S2 
MR. T. J. WIGG ON THE HERRING FISHERY. 
XL 
NOTES ON THE HERRING FISHERY OF 1903. 
By T. J. Wigg, 
Honorary Secretary Great Yarmouth Section. 
Read 28rd February , 1904- 
Once more it falls to my lot to give an account of this most 
important industry, when Yarmouth, especially the southern part, 
is given up to the hustle, turmoil and excitement of the Herring 
Fishery. The business becomes larger and more extended as the 
fame of Yarmouth spreads abroad. The Herring voyage w r as again 
a successful one, and though the Scotch fleet operating at Yarmouth 
had a heavy diminution in its catch, our own boats caught and 
landed more than ever. 
The following is taken from the Fish Trades' Gazette (which has 
long recognised the importance of this port for the development of 
the Herring trade) : — “ Yarmouth, from its geographical situation, 
appears, so far, to he more favoured than other places in the way 
of regular supplies. There have been bad and good years there, as 
elsewhere, but the bad years, so far as my memory serves me, were 
never for want of Herrings. The late season of the year at which 
the fishing takes place makes the work more liable to be interfered 
with by stormy weather, and the bad seasons in the past have 
been mainly attributable to atmospheric influences. Whether the 
revolution which has taken place of late years in the Yarmouth 
and Lowestoft fishing, and nearly doubled the fleet of boats in 
East Anglian waters, will have any effect in sending the shoals 
further out to sea remains to be seen. Sufficient, however, for the 
day is the evil thereof, and meantime those interested in the great 
industry cannot stop to theorise, but must make the most of things 
as they find them.” 
This year Herrings were landed at the Wharf in August, but 
during September the arrivals of local boats were very numerous, 
and heavy catches were made. 
