1898] EGYPTIAN FISHERIES 193 



in December, January and February, when the moon is in her last 

 •quarter. They leave after sunset or in the late afternoon should the 

 sky be overcast. 



Other forms occur less commonly as Serranus cahrilla, Hemiramplii, 

 and some Carangidae, while among the more accidental may be men- 

 tioned Batistes, which has been taken in good condition ten miles 

 from the sea entrance. 



Fishing is usually prosecuted from boats which are manned, on 

 an average, by a crew of four men not including boys. They fish either 

 singly or in companies of as many as fifteen boats. Nets and hooks, 

 baited and naked, are used. Of nets, the mullet seine is that in most 

 general use. It is carried round a shoal of fish, which has been 

 driven towards it by men who support the upper edge of the net 

 about three feet above the surface of the water by means of poles to 

 prevent the escape of the fish. In the Suez Canal this system can- 

 not be employed on account of the depth of the water, but a trammel 

 net supported horizontally on reeds is attached to the outer edge of 

 the seine and receives the fish as they jump the corked line. Fixed 

 trammels, trammel seines, and drag nets are also used, while the 

 circular casting net is a great favourite with the fishermen, who are 

 very adept in its use. 



Much damage has been done to the fisheries by denying* to them 

 the protection of properly constituted bye-laws. Till two years ago 

 no attempt was made to regulate the capture of fish, and even now 

 the size of mesh used is that which suits the convenience of the 

 fishermen. Lately it has been forbidden to fish on grounds which 

 were ascertained to be the nurseries of young fish; formerly forty or 

 more boats' crews would combine to sweep the fish, chiefly young 

 grey mullet of an average size of 17 cm., from the lagoons on the 

 margin of the lake which fish of that size frequent. As much as 

 fifteen tons of these fish have been taken in a single haul. A close 

 time of eight days has been enforced during the last two spawning 

 seasons of M. ccphalus for the protection of this fish, and the indica- 

 tions of success following the institution of this and other protec- 

 tionary measures promise, under proper control, a great future for 

 .the industries in question. J. C. Mitchell. 







