ADVENTURE HerrING HERITAGE

A resurgence of interest in lug-rigged sailing vessels showcases the importance of Scotland's former booming herring industry

- WORDS & PICTURES: Barry Pickthall

The herring boom during the 18th and early 19th century had a big impact on the development of working sail vessels across Northern European ports and interest in this is leading to a resurgence in lug-rigged sailing vessels in Scotland. But there is even more positive news - after half a century of dramatic decline, there are signs that the herring shoals are returning to the west coast.

Scotland once had the largest herring fishery globally employing over 35,000 people—14,000 of them women. The shoals were also the dominant catch around Ireland, Shetland as well as in Swedish, Norwegian, and Dutch waters.

The chase along the migratory route for these 'Silver Darlings' would begin mid-summer in the Irish sea, with fleets working their way northwards round the top of Scotland, and down the North Sea where the English, Dutch and Flemish fishing fleets would be waiting in the autumn.

THE HERRING LEGACY

The inaugural Ullapool Lugger Festival held on Scotland's northwest coast in 2024 was a reminder of the great herring fleet of sailing fishing boats that once frequented these Scottish waters. Attracting 25 historic vessels and replicas from as far away as Cornwall and across the Hebrides, they included a fleet of beautiful Oban counter stern skiffs, modelled on the 18ft clinker-built inshore fishing luggers, and several larger recently restored drifters. Also present was the 39ft mackerel/pilchard driver Barnabas, built in 1881 and now maintained and crewed by a group of volunteers from the Cornish Maritime Trust, as well as two recently restored herring boats, the 48ft Zulu herring drifter St Vincent built in 1910, and the 37ft 6in Loch Fyne skiff Clan Gordon, built in 1911.