The Sun.
London, England, 1867-09-13 00:00:00

THE _HERRING FISHING.

LasTwroemekthetShc
eormsnioasnt.)
of the fishermen
D UNBATZ.
seemed to have a desire to prosecute the fishing here
for some time, and the general opinion among them
then was that there was still good appearances of
herrings upon the coast. This week, however, with
that fickleness of character which seems to distin-
guish them as a class, the fishing has been brought
to a somewhat sudden and unexpected
all the boats have now left, and as the principal
buyers have also gone off, there is little os pr pect of
the fishing being further prolonged this
season. It
is quite likely that the native boats and one or two
others which still remain may make another •
trial this
week should there be any appearance of
fish
in the
bay. Nothing, however, has been done for the two
past days. On Sunday night nine boats proceeded to
the fishing ground, with no great hopes of success,
however, and on Monday morning they all returned
clean. Appearances were no better on Monday
night, and only one boat went to sea. The boat,
after getting to the offing, made a general survey
of the whole of the bay, but there were no appear-
ances of herrings being in any body on the coast,
and it returned yesterday morning with a dozen
and a half of herrings. Several of the Buckhaven
boats also went out in the course of the afternoon
to examine the locality, and finding no trace of
fish they set sail for home. Yesterday there
were only about thirty boats lying in the har-
bour, and several of these were making pre-
parations for departure, so that anything
that is now done will be left to the native boats. It
is a singular fact that, when there is a good take of
herring few or no mackerel are to be got, and this
year the mackerel are very scarce. Indeed, the catch
as yet has been counted by twos and threes, and at
the most a dozen. Last year, however, when the
herring fishing was a complete failure, the take of
mackerel was something enormous, the boats com-
ing in day after day and week after week with ex-
traordinary hauls. There is nothing of that kind to
fall back upon this year, and the fishermen will have
to betake themselves to deep-sea fishing as early as
possible. Last afternoon five boats entered the har-
bour with takes ranging from three to eight trans.
The fish, which were got in Cove Bay, about five
miles to the eastward of Dunbar, were of fair quality,
and were sold at 21s. per cran. A number of the
boats went out last night to the same ground in
hopes of meeting with the shoal.
_ _

hYEMOUTII.—Last week our entire fleet went down
south, there being uo appearance of fish on this part
of the coast. A few of the boats took a run up to

Boats Out. Total Grans. Prices.
Monday, Sept. 2
Tuesday „ 3 . 4B 190 10s. to 16s.
Wednesday „ 4
Thursday „ 5
Friday ~ 6
Saturday „ 7
Thirteen boats in all clean, but one will have about
20 crans.

BOVItNEMOUTIL
Boats. Crans.
Monday, Sept. 2

Tuesday „ 3
Wednesday „ 4 _ --
Thursday „ 5
Friday „ 6
Saturday „ 7

FRASERBURGII.---As we indicated in Saturday's
report as likely to take place, a fair proportion—
from 50 to 60—of the boats went to sea early this
morning, in hope of securing a portion more of the
shoal of fish which proved so productive on Satur-
day morning. The crews proceeded to the
same ground which they then occupied, but
the fishing to-day has by no moans realised
their expectations. A few fair takes, averag-
ing from 6 to 10 crans—the highest about 16 or 18
—have been landed; but the season's average will
not very perceptibly be affected by the catch. One
advantage which the attempt may, however, have
effected, will be to direct the movements of the fleet
to-night, it now being pretty evident that the fish
have shifted their locale since Friday night. In this
belief the boats have taken a more easterly course,
so as to intercept the body of herrings which are
thought to be on their way seawards, after having
deposited their spawn in the inshore bays. After
despatching our report on Saturday the price for
full crown brands fell to 28s. per barrel ; and to-day
we understand buyers are shy to go in for many or
important transactions even at that figure. Stettin
advices represent the markets on the Continent as
in a most depressed condition. An impression is said
to have gone abroad into the interior that the fish-
ing on the north-east coast of Scotland has been so
extraordinarily abundant as that prices must yet
come further down. Doubtless there is a slight ex-
aggeration in this representation ; and unless the
success at both Peterhead and Fraserburgh becomes
this week very much heavier than is commonly be-
lieved it will, there seems no more reason to fear an
ultimatum so disastrous to curers. In the week
ending the 31st nit., 12 vessels with cargoes of cured
herrings cleared the harbour for the Baltic and
Elbe ports. Last week a few—probably half the
number—were also loaded, and despatched to the
same ports.—Sept. 9.
Rost ilEAnTY.—Until the last two days of the
week there were grave doubts entertained whether
the fishing had not in effect come to a close, the
weather having become unsettled ou Tuesday after
a more than usually unproductive night's fishing.
The result of Friday morning, therefore, when the
total catch was upwards of 500 ems, came quite
unexpectedly ; and with it hopes were revived of
there yet being a shoal of herrings on the coast from
which a more than ordinary season's c Itch could be
obtained. Saturday morning, as will be seen from
the week's report, was even more successful than
the previous day; and from the fleet of 60 boats
900 crans were landed. Shots of 20 and 30 crans
were common enough ; and but that the boats lay a
little tco far west, it seemed very likely the average
might have been doubled, as in the more immediate
neighbourhood of Rosehearty Bay the Fraserburgh
boats netted the highest takes, some of them as high
as 40 crans. The following are the details for the
week

-
Boats out. Highest. Average.
Tuesday GO 4 crans 1 cran.
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Average for the week, 26 crans.
And for the season, 140 crans.
The quality of the fish was much mixed, the pro-
portion of spouts being rather large. This morn-
ing the most of the fleet went to sea, expecting
that, as the fish appeared to be occupying the in-
shore ground of Friday night, they might have an
equally successful fishing. In this, however, they
were partly disappointed ; and the highest take was
no more than 16 or 18 crans.--Sept. 9.