European Ocean Biodiversity Information System

The Dutch Herring Fishery was a vital effort of the North Sea fishing of the late medieval and early modern periods. The Dutch fleet was one of the primary operators in this industry together with the English, French, Danish, Flemish and Spanish fleets. At certain points in this period, the Dutch fleet could be considered to be the largest in terms of landings. The technologies, equipment and methodologies employed by the Dutch were relatively advanced compared with other fleets in very general terms, enabling them to be consistently productive and capable in economic terms. The Dutch Herring Fishery thrived from the beginning of the 16th Century. However, there is a lacuna of information in terms of actual landings, catches and effort spent until records are available from 1580 onwards. The extent of these records provides a clear indication of the relative state of the Fishery which was focused between the Northern ports and the Southern ports which therefore bear comparison and scrutiny.