Norfish 06 French Northeast Atlantic Herring Fishery 1520–1790

Identifying sources for the French Herring Fishery, which prevailed in the North Sea, the Irish Sea, off the Western coast of Scotland and through the English Channel during the 1520-1790 period, is difficult. Whatever archived records may exist are sparse, unresearched and scattered.

The clearest indications of the scale and geographic location of the French herring fishery may be found in old prints that indicate descriptions of fish, fishing grounds, countries involved and techniques; these prints dating from as early as the 16th century chart the places where the French sailed to catch herring: the coasts of Brittany, Normandy and Picardy, the English coasts, the Irish sea, Iceland and other places (Savary des Bruslons 1726; Duhamel du Monceau Henri-Louis 1772; Noel de la Morinière 1815).