The Fishing Industry
The Mackerel Voyage was commenced on January 20th by several luggers starting for the western waters. They were soon successful; for on getting off the Isle of Wight, fish were found in abundance and the "John Whiteman" (Thos. Page, master), netted more than half a last and sold them for £135. On the 24th of January, there was one of the greatest catches ever remembered. Nine Hastings boats, a few miles from the Nab Light, caught about 200,000, which being taken into Portsmouth, realised upwards of £1,700. W. Hayward's boat had 33,000; Thos. Page's, 29,000; R. Ball's, 33,700; W. White's, 24,000; G. White's, 23,000; M. Swaine's, 19,000; E. Kent's 25,000; J. Sargent's, 13,000; and T. Adams's , 5,000.
A New Fishing Lugger, named the "Little Polly" was launched from the Messrs. Kent's boat-building yard.
Ten Thousand Mackerel were caught on or near the last day of May, in the Seine nets between Brighton and Shoreham and retailed at about 6d. each. One boat, by a single hawl made £63 10s., and another £52.
All kinds of fish plentiful during the week which ended on June 25th, & about 300 baskets sent off each day by rail. Mackerel were sold at 25 to 27 shillings per hundred, and herrings from 7 to 8 shillings. During the following week, however, the catches were anything but good.
The Mackerel Season, which began with such unusual success, dwindled into an unsuccessful one upon the whole; and at its close, in August, the larger luggers set out for Scarborough and Yarmouth, for the herring season.
The Herring Voyage, like that of the previous mackerel one, began well, but unlike that of the latter, ended well. On getting to the northern fishing ground, "shot" their nets, and during the [week] which ended on Sept 10th, Jas. Tassell took into Yarmouth about £70 worth; Wm. White, to the value of £52; Jas. Sargent, £49; W. Hayward, £51 & £40; Geo. Hatchings, £32; J. Bumstead, £68; &c. &c. If such large quantities of fish were netted by the Hastings boats, how enormous must have been the total catches by nearly a thousand boats in the same waters, both English and French. No wonder should it have been that "real Yarmouth bloaters" were afterwards so plentiful.
Herrings ho! was still the cry, and during the week ending Sept. 24th, one of the Hastings boats took into Yarmouth seven lasts, which realised upwards of £120. Also on the northern fishing ground, G. White had earned £145; G. Page, £80; John Whiteman, £67; W. Bates, £67 10s.; Mark Swaine, £60; and W. Tassell £80.
The Home Fishing, at a later date appeared also to have commenced in good earnest. On Nov. 9th, Edward Kent, master of the "Good Intent", landed at Hastings 3½ lasts, and sold them for £42; whilst from the "William and Alfred" were landed 5 lasts, which being sold at £9 per last (£3 less than those by Kent) realised £45.
