The Scottish Fishing Industry

Fishing has been important to the East Coast of Scotland from earliest times.

It wasn't until the early 19th century, however, that fishing became industrialised. Herring fishing developed rapidly, partly as a result of UK Governmental tonnage bounties and also because of more efficient modes of transport enabling fish to be delivered rapidly to distant markets. The North Sea, in its heyday, supplied the tables of the world.

The 'silver darlings'

The boom in catching 'the silver darlings' in the 19th and early 20th centuries was driven by the market demand and export-encouraging Government subsidy of the time. The herring was prized in other parts of Europe and was caught relatively easily in Scottish coastal waters - off the East coast during winter and spring, off the North coast of Scotland and Shetland during the summer months and in autumn, off the Coast of East Anglia.  Early in the 19th Century, the  owners of herring boats larger than 60 tons received a bonus cash payment, plus a bounty on all herring sold overseas. 

With the new railway links which allowed faster transport of perishable goods,  fishermen and agents were able to deliver their catches to market much more quickly, and at a good price. At its peak, the herring fishery suported as many as 30,000 vessels on the East coast, and yet more in the Irish Sea. Numbers continued to grow until the Scottish fishing industry became the largest in Europe. In 1907, 2,500,000 barrels of fish (250,000 tons) were cured and exported, the main markets being Germany, Eastern Europe and Russia.

The herring industry followed the shoals around the coast of Britain and, along with them there followed an army of curers, merchants, - and the herring lasses.  The Scots fisher lasses played an essential role in the fisheries at each port where herring was landed. They originated in fishing villages all around the Coast of Scotland, travelling throughout the season from Stornoway to Lerwick,  and as far south as Great Yarmouth.

The First World War put a halt to the growth of the industry, as the fishermen joined the Royal Navy in defence of their King and country.   After 1918 the industry went into a decline, which was exacerbated by the Second World War.  After 1945, much of the effort became concentrated on whitefish with an additional sector exploiting shellfish. Technical advances meant that fewer fishermen could operate the vessels and the number of people employed fell, inspite of rising catch values.

Two particular sorts of boats were used around the East Coast of Scotland. The fifie was a wind-powered sailing boat and was used from around the 1850s until well into the 20th century. Their design made them stable in the water, which meant that they could carry very large sails, and were very fast when required, but their long keels made them awkward to handle in narrow spaces. Fifies had two masts, and could be up to 70feet in length.

In 1879 a new boat called the zulu was produced and quickly became popular. William Campbell of Lossiemouth designed the first of these in 1879, and many were built.  The zulu's name came from the Zulu War, which took place in South Africa at the time.  The zulu had 2 masts, but the sails were very large and heavy, making them difficult to haul. Their masts could be 60 feet tall and had to be constructed from tall pine trees. They could be 2ft in diameter at deck level, and the largest class of zulus were around 80 feet long.

Over time, more and more specialised boats, and fishing methods, have been developed leading to localised activity around the sheltered ports with good harbour facilities. For every fisherman at sea, there were several jobs ashore, most of these being done by the fishermens families. Such work included gutting, preserving, line baiting and net repairing.

Fisher folk tended to live in quite distinct communities, and to keep themselves to themselves. In many North East ports in particular there was also a religious divide, resulting from the influence of Plymouth Brethren and other faith missions.In the Highlands and Islands it was common practice for families to combine crofting with in-shore fishing.

Falling fish stocks, ever higher efficiency levels on boats, and economic circumstances have meant that in recent years the industry has been increasingly heavliy regulated, with fishing activity concentrated on fewer large ports capable of handling large catches, and the continuing decline of the tight-knit fiher communities.