This framed grisaille provides a graphic description of Dutch herring fishing in the 17th century. Several herring buss (or haringbuis) have encircled a large tract of sea with their nets. The ships often sailed in large fleets of 400 to 500 to the fishing grounds at the Dogger Bank and the Shetland isles. They were usually escorted by naval vessels to protect them from being arrested by the English, who considered the Dutch were "poaching" in waters they claimed. In wartime the risk of fishing vessels being taken by privateers was also large. This painting was probably executed in the early to mid 18th century.

Roelof van Salm (1688-1765) worked in the same style as his more widely known father Adriaen van Salm.