MR. T. J. WIGG ON THE HERRING FISHERY. 
633 
All boats were not so fortunate, for during the middle of 
October the catch and delivery were so great that thousands 
and ten thousands of crans of Herrings were landed day by day. 
On Monday, Oct. 12th, about 200 boats came in with the great 
average catch of 50 crans, and on Tuesday about 150 Scotch 
boats swelled the great catch by an average of 60 crans per 
boat, with the result that prices fell to 10s. and 12s. a cran. 
Wednesday’s catch averaged 35 crans from 250 boats, while 
the 500 boats which arrived on Thursday brought in a total of 
25,000 crans. 
Lowestoft boats also made remarkable catches during this 
week, and showed a total of over 80,000 crans more than at the 
corresponding period of last year. The great catches of October 
were continued well into the first or second week of November, 
when the weather became unsettled, and the fishermen were in 
the same position and anxious to end the season. Many Scottish 
crews, having made a good fishing, were anxious to go north. 
I am informed that the steam drifter, “ The Light,” returned to 
Fraserburgh from Yarmouth, having earned over £\, 000. 
The abnormal catch of this season upset all calculations, and 
the curers found that the ordinary stock of salt and barrels was 
quite inadequate for the extraordinary demand. 
What a change came during the last week of November! 
The majority of the Scottish boats had returned to the north, 
and the deliveries of fish were very poor. 
In former years the season has lasted close up to Christmas, 
but compared with last year some strange results may be noted. 
In 1911, the month of November was nearly over before the 
heavy fishing began, whereas the great catches were all over in 
the early days of that month in 1912. Compare the figures for 
the week ending Nov. 16th. At Yarmouth the catch for the 
week was 18,866 crans, and in the corresponding week of 1911 
it was 70,696, but the season's catch on the same date was 
151,770 crans better than at the corresponding period of 1911. 
“The Fish Trades’ Gazette” of Dec. 7th, 1912, says: — 
“ From every point of view the fishings at the two chief centres 
(Yarmouth and Lowestoft) have been an unqualified success. 
