Introduction

For the first time, this chapter presents an in-depth study of the spatial dynamics of mid 19th century Dutch North Sea herring fishery. This is the first quantitative study to use fishers’ own logbooks as a main source of information on an essentially pre-modern North Sea herring fishery.

As we have established, the Dutch high sea herring fisheries were the only major North Sea herring fishery that could operate independently of geography. Most other pre modern herring fisheries were shore-based industries along the English, Scottish, Norwegian, Swedish or Dutch coastlines. In principle, the Dutch fishers could fish wherever they pleased.

The main factors affecting the dynamics of Dutch North Sea herring fisheries’ spatial patterns can be assessed at different levels by analysing the high resolution data provided by fishers’ logbooks. This provides an indication of the environmental adaptiveness of the Dutch fishers.

At a seasonal level, the spatial patterns reflect attempts to follow the migration patterns of herring in the north eastern part of the North Sea. The seasonal distribution of fishing was divided into a first, a second and occasionally third fishing trip, as the analyses in chapter 8 also demonstrated at a more macro level. However, they did not seem to have played a significant role with regards to the spatial fishing pattern. On a day-to-day level, analysis of the spatial distribution of individual fishing trips allows us to assess fishers’ geographical responsiveness to fishing success rates.

The timeframe of this study is restricted to the period between 1856-63, when the Royal Dutch Meteorological Institute, KNMI initiated and conducted an eight year long study into methods of optimising the Dutch catch of herring in the North Sea area.

In terms of technology and fishing practices, the Dutch method of offshore fishing in the 1850s and 60s was virtually identical to the methods used as far back as the late 16th century. Therefore, this rather short time frame provides a window of opportunity to evaluate the spatial flexibility of the Dutch herring industry.

Logbooks from herring vessels

The 1850s marked the beginning of a period of great changes in the Dutch herring industry.