THE DUTCH 11EH1UNU FISHERY
By E. 1\ Van Kcncssc, Editor, Al
gomeeii Vissclierijblad. From Oa
nadian Fisherman.
The Dutch lierring fishery is oue
of the oldest iisheriea existing. Ev
en in tlie Middle Ages, when this in
dustry was practically unknown in
Scotland and England, large fleets
of Dutch “(Juiren” sailed each sum
mer and autumn to the British
Coa3t to catch this king of iishes.
The Ashing grounds being a consid
erable distance from tiie Dutch
ports, and the herring being the
kind of fish that rapidiy detoriates,
the fish were salted immediately
after the catch. At first all her
rings were salted without being pre
viously gutted, but in 1397 a Dutch
fisherman, Wilhelm Deuklls, in
vented the method of herring gut
ting, which is still used everywhere.
The herrings that had been gut
ted after this method resisted spoil
age much better than the ungut
ted ones 'so that the Dutch herring
trade expanded considerably, grow
ing and developing into a vastly
flourishing trade. Dutch cured her
rings had a worldwide fame and ev
en in the nineteenth century the
Scottish herring could not match
them.
Since that time the herring fish
eries of other European countries
have also developed and the Dutch
herring industry has lost.
The Industry at the Present
The Dutch method of fishing and
curing is principally the same as
in the old times. THE HERRING
ARE CAUGHT WITH DRIFT NETS
AND GUTTED AND CURED ON
BOARD the fishing craft immediate
ly after the catch. However, the
vessels are now modernized and the
nets much larger, than formerly. If
the catches are too plentiful for a
thorough preparation of all herrings
some are left ungutted and go into
smoke-houses after being landed.
The Dutch herring fleet consists
of steam luggei-s, motor luggers and
sailing luggers, though the latter
type is still predominant. In 1919
there were on the register 66 steam
luggers, 33 motor luggers and 610
sailing luggers. The total output
amounted to 1,108,200 barrels of
cured herrings, valued at 34,762,
700 guilders, (approximately |13,
901,080))• but since then a serious
depression has set in, principally
owing to the political, economical
and financial disturbances in the
European countries, that in pre-war
times were large consumers of her
rings. . Vr
The total output in 1925 amount
ed to only about 380,200 barrels,
valued at 9,380,400 guilders ($3,
752,160). This was partly due to
poor fishing, partly to the decrease
of the fishing operations. The drift
er owners were so hard bit that sev
eral of them were compelled to drop
out of the industry.
The poor fishing in 1926 had a
very disastrous effect on the indus
try.
During the season 1926 fishing
was a3 a rule, much better. Espe
cially did the summer fishing near
the Scottish Coast yielded a larger
output.
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