MR. G. H. HARRIS ON THE HERRING FISHERY. 
481 
XI. 
NOTES ON THE HERRING FISHERY OF 1898. 
By G. H. Harris. 
Read 28 th March, 1899. 
So far as Yarmouth boats were concerned, failure is writ large over 
the Herring Fishery of 1898. No fish, no prices; so runs the tale. 
One clay there was a big catch — nearly a record catch — hut prices 
fell at once to zero, and the fisherman’s labour and his torn nets 
were all in vain. But whether the catch were large or whether it 
were small, prices were always low. That great variation in price 
which comes from hitting a full market, or hitting an empty one*, 
was nearly invisible. The excitement of a gamble of which there 
is nearly always something in the Herring Fishery, and which 
helps to revive depressed spirits nearly to the end, was absent. 
We always look for a small catch to be compensated by a rise in 
price, but 1898 was a law to itself. 
Sometimes a season is spoiled by a sudden gale wrecking boats 
and ruining nets. There was rough weather in 1898, but it gave 
plenty of warning. It kept boats at home, but it did not take 
them unawares in the open water. Indeed, on one or two occasions, 
our boats were in harbour, not because the weather was bad, but 
because it was threatening. The men would not venture. They 
did not consider it worth while. It is indeed a heavy risk and 
where is the return ? The men rightly think, that where life and 
limb are involved, there should be a very reasonable prospect of 
crettin^ a commensurate return. That the men should fish the 
r> o 
North Sea from the equinoctial gales of early Autumn to the snows 
of December, only to find, when the boats “ make up,” not so much 
as will buy a new suit of clothes for their backs, is a state of things 
that must be abolished if the fishing is to endure. No surprise 
can be felt under the circumstances that the crews refuse to fish 
when skies are lowering and the barometer falls. I believe I am 
correct in saying that the Lowestoft system operates better. There 
