Shooting in the Net

Before the days of modern high-tech equipment to locate herring shoals, the fishermen used just skill and experience. The sea surface changed colour when spawning took place and another tell-tale sign was the drifting plankton on which the herring would feed. Whales, porpoises and sea-birds feeding on the herring would also identify a shoal. Other creatures feeding on the fish caused oily patches to appear on the surface of the sea. Drift nets were used to encircle and trap the shoals.

The shrimp fishermen were expert at sailing their boats and knew every channel of the bay intimately. They were also adventurous in seeking out new fishing grounds which they tried to keep secret. The Morecambe trawlers operated as far south as Blackpool and towed nets along the seabed to catch the shrimps. The boats shortened (reduced) sail in order to travel at a modest speed during this process but fast enough to avoid the shrimps escaping the net.