Evening star., 1909-09-04

VI pieScISdllOH- AS a IlSn lOr COnSuIUp-
ton in a fresh condition, the sea herring
does not rank high by comparison with
various other marine food fishes inhabit-
ing the same waters: nevertheless,
perfectly fresh herring. when broiled,
Tried or baked, is excellent.
An important use for fresh herring is
as bait in the line fisheries for bottom
species like halibut, cod and haddock.
Immense quantities are thus consumed.
particularly in New England and the
British provinces. The herring for this
purpose are taken mostly in winter and
are frozen in bulk for preservation:
The simplest method Of preservation is
that of drying without salt. This is
favorite method for small herring in
japan, and such fish, strung on strawS
or Sticks are seen exposed for sale IN
all parts of that country and are eXten-
sively eaten.
A favorite and simple way of prepar-
ing herring for food in America and
Europe is by smoking. which is usually
preceded by a short immersion In brine.
Smoked fish. however. will not keep in
definitely. and the herring that enter
most largely into the commerce OF the
world are preserved by various degrees
OF sailing. On the coast of Maine smai!
| behring's in bulk. preserved in pickle ana
seasoned with spices, are known as RuS-
sian Sardines.
One of the principal uses made of the
sea herring In New England is for can
ming as "sardines" In the same region
the fish are also canned under the name
of herring, and before the enactment OF
the present beneficent pure-food law were
sometimes sold to the unsuSpectlng con.
sumner as "brook trout" and "mackerei.
In Great Britain a favorlte canned prep
aration is kippered herring.
The waste parts of herring at the sar-
dine and sailing establishments are con-
vertible into an excellent fertlilzer' c. cAleu
'pomace" in Maine. and In Japan, oWinS
to lack OF markets for the hsh, I'M
mense numbers are caught for the spe-
cial purpose of being converted INTO
guano Another product. usually mace
in connection with fertilizer. is OH WHICH
has wide use in the trades.
Herring in the United States.
The herring fishery Of the United states
has always held subordinate rank. Al
though prosecuted from Puritan times
and attaining great value, 1t has always
been exceeded in Importance by other
fisheries in the states where the herring
abounds Owing to the distribution OF
the fish, Maine and Massachusetts have
the most extensive fisheries. and the
quantity of herring taken in the other
New England states and In New ioIk
and New Jersey Is very small. AT 10
point south Of Block Island does the fish
occur in sufficient numbers or with sum
cient regularity to support an estao-
lished industry.
Owing to the great abundance of her,
Massachusetts, and of the British prov
inces, there has been no occasion as YET
to seek the herring offshore, and nence
the American fishery differs markedly IN
methods from the European. The Oldest,
and for long time TIE most common
manner of fishing for herring Is torcn
ing-a method learned from the aporlsi.
nes. Up to about 1920 herring were
Maine coast Torching depends on the
well known instinct of herring and other
fishes to seek and follow hight, ana Is
carried on with very simple apparatus.
pelled by oars is a small iron basket, In
which a fire Of birch bark or Otner nlsHly
combustible material is Kept burning
while the fishing is going on AS sool,
as darkness comes on the BOAT Is roWeu
to the fishing grounds. one man SteeTlns,
one man standing I'm the bow with
large dip net. AS the herring gather IL
little punches in front OF the hgnt tneg
are readily caught with the dlp net anu
sometimes fifteen to twenty barrels may
thus be taken in few hours. Inns
method is followed chiefly in Passama-
ouoddy and Ipswich bays.
Gill nets. haul selnes and purse ssieos eos
are more or less extensively employed TOT
herring on various PARTS of our coast
b,,t the characteristic apparatus IN .he
region OF most important fishing is tne
brush weir which came into use ApOul
1890, and for many years mas oeen 'in =,
Maine. New Brunswick and Nova Scotia
heing particularly important in Passama-
uuoddy bay and its tributaries Inc prus, ~
weir is an aboriginal fishing device IN aii
parts of the world. ana VaIlatiols II,
structure are numerous; but its essentiai
feature is an inclosure made OF brusn
located on the shore, on a par. DetWeel
the mainland and an lSiand or pet"eei
two islands, into which the fsh Wanoer'
and from which they are preventeo Iron. ON
lair hi1itv to ind In0
exit. by the fall of tide, by the closing
of the entrance, or by pecuilaritles oi
construction. ..
The herring brush weirs of the north
east coast are very substantially pun. Gu ca
some are Of large capacity and consid-
erabIe value The stout stakes or posts
are driven into the bottom at close inter
walls. or, in case the bottom Is rocky, are
attached to large stones, and TINS iranie,
work is strengthened by heavy hor1zontal
strineers The portion below low-water
line is closely woven with branches OF
trees running horizontally. these peing
nushed to the bottom by means OF q
forked stick. The upper part OF tne MelT
is of loosely woven brush exc eauehhias hinS Wa
tically two or three feet above hlgn wa
fer AS the average tidal movement Is
twenty feet, and in spring nearly thlrty
feet, the amount of material requireu 70
considerable. Some We1rS are mere ee-..
circular Enclosures, while others are pro-
vdded with leaders or wings, or both.
The weirs are always fshed at low
tide. as then the herring are concentrateo 1,tta
and NAV be more readily secured. Inc
fshermen enter the weirs In boats, set
seine and haul it's ends together, and theh
take out the fish with huge dip nets. IN
some places the fish are left dry py the
receding tide, and may be gathered py
hand or with pitchforks. From ~ 70
400 brush Weirs are operated In waters
adjacent to the international boundary
between Maine and New Brunswick.
T,hey supply herring for bait. smoking,
sailing and canning, and often yield very
large profits to their owners. Ine unit OF
measure In this fishery is the hogsnead'
holding fifteen bushels, and many nun
dreds of hogsheads-sometimes several
thousand-may be taken In a single Weir
in the course of a season.
TTpward of $4,000 has been received
located weir, and there is a record of
weir on the Canadian side of Passama-
onoddy bay which was leased by Amer1-
cans at an annual rental of 5000, with
a bonus of S3 for each hogshead of fish
caught. vet. notwithstanding this SEEM
ingly exorbitant price, the lessees, before
the close of the first season, were able TO
nav three years rental in advance, owing
to the large catch and high prices OF
small herring.
The prosperity, If not the very exist
ence. of the herring weir fishery on the
northeast coast depends on the presence
of a large number of canneries at East
mort. Lubec and other places on or near
the Maine border. where herring are con-
,,ertad into ..sardines." Weirs have also
been constructed along the central and
western districts of Maine in order to
supply raw material for canneries and
k@l~