6oo 
MR. T. J. WIGG ON THE HERRING FISHERY. 
Tuesday, October 22nd, was a never-to-be-forgotten day 
in the history of the East Anglian Herring Fishery. On that 
day the catch brought into Yarmouth harbour beat all 
records. The fishing fleet on Monday struck Herrings in vast 
numbers, and the catches ranged from 200 crans downward. 
They were sold for what they would fetch — from 5s. to 6s. 
a cran, and in some cases at a much lower figure. In fact it 
was a difficult matter in many cases to get rid of them at all. 
Many a waggon load was taken into the Flegg district to be 
used as manure. It is almost impossible to attempt to 
describe the appearance of the harbour and quay on this 
particular day. Boats were everywhere from the Southtown 
Bridge to the mouth of the river. Swills, barrels, baskets, 
and carts covered the quay beside the river, and everybody 
connected with the fishing was working “for all he was worth,” 
to get rid of the enormous catch. 
“ More room,” was the cry, and the Corporation will do 
what they can to give a good answer. A new Dock scheme 
is now before the Council by which extra space will be 
allotted to the boats which frequent this port for the Herring 
harvest. 
“ The abnormal catch of Herring of the past week has 
brought to our port an experience which has never been 
known before since Herrings have been caught off Yarmouth. 
The glut, with all the waste which necessarily attended it. 
was more than even skilful organization could cope with ; 
and for the first time boats had to go just outside the harbour, 
to the Ham, to throw overboard their catches. This was the 
experience of some twenty-five boats. Such a course was, 
naturally, a most disappointing result of much labour. One 
boat, for instance, came into harbour at about eight in the 
morning, and, because of the crush of boats at the quays, 
waited until nearly midnight without being able to land her 
Herrings, and in disgust or despair, went out to sea and threw 
her load overboard. There were Herrings being landed from 
the Town Hall to even below the Ballast Wharf. On the 
Gorleston side of the river the river-steamers’ slipway was 
utilised for landing Herrings for the new pickling-plots there. 
