MK. T. J. WIGG ON THE HERRING FISHERY. G85 
The local boats appear to have made good catches, but this is 
cli ielly owing to the fact that the boats are heavier and able to 
withstand the sea better, and also that they hurry from the 
harbour at any time, not even excepting Sunday, when all 
Scotch boats are in the harbour. 
The quantity of Herrings landed at Lowestoft has been very 
much less than last year, and prices have ruled considerably lower. 
Several causes may be given for this. The fish were off the coast 
much earlier than usual, and the number of boats prepared to go 
to sea to catch them was larger than ever ; but for weeks the 
weather was so bad that the Scotchmen were unable to go to sea, 
and the local boats made fewer trips than they would have done 
under more favourable conditions. The result was that for some 
weeks the supply of Herrings at the Market was thousands of lasts 
per week less than last season. What this means in value may be 
judged by the fact that on last year’s excellent prices a last of 
Herrings meant about £10. 
With regard to the lower prices which fish have fetched this 
season, there is no doubt that this is chiefly accounted for by the 
fact that many merchants, both in this country and on the 
Continent, have not yet disposed of the Herrings which they 
accumulated last year, and they are naturally chary of increasing 
their stock. 
As will be seen from the following figures, Yarmouth still 
appears to be the favourite port for Scotch boats. They com- 
prise 16(5 from Banff, Kirkcaldy 87, Inverness 63, Fraserburg 57, 
Leith 46, Peterhead 37, Wick 35, Berwick 35, Aberdeen 16, 
Stornoway 2, Dundee 1, Granton 1. In addition to these 
North Shields sent 27, Hull 8, Grimsby 2, Sunderland 1, and 
Southampton 1. 
The fiscal policy of the Government has stirred the Emden 
Fishermen’s Union to answer the question put to them by the 
German Government. The present tax on salt Herrings is three 
marks per barrel. Raw Herrings are admitted duty free. The 
Government wanted to know if the duty could be increased, and 
received a reply in the negative. Last year 1,877,379 barrels 
were imported into Germany, of which 756,547 came from Great 
Britain, and 451,464 from the Netherlands. The exports from 
Germany were only 3,294 barrels. 
