SEALS AND SALMON NETS 313 



Visits to a large number of netting stations made it clear that one of the 

 netsmen's problems was the ease with which seals were able to tear holes in 

 the nets. This resulted in: {a) loss offish, (b) damage to fish in the net, (c) loss 

 of fishing time, (d) cost of repairs. These additional burdens had already- 

 caused the closure of a number of the smaller stations and others, especially 

 in poor years, were being run at a fmancial loss. 



It appears that seals can attack salmon in the fish court either by entering 

 through the small door or by tearing a hole in the netting from the outside. 

 Holes are most often torn in the small scales and in the sides of the net 

 opposite the small scales. The holes are not large, only some three or four 

 meshes being broken, so that they are very difficult to detect and even if 

 they are seen it is a hazardous job to mend them when there is a heavy swell 

 running. 



An attempt was therefore made to design a net which would be proof 

 against attack by seals. This experimental net had the following novel 

 features : (a) it was made from nylon twine, {h) the amount of netting in the 

 fish court was increased and set slacker on the ropes, [c) the fish court was 

 protected by an outer curtain of large mesh nylon netting. 



This net was first fished at the Altens Station near Aberdeen. The netsmen 

 reported that it fished satisfactorily but they experienced difficulty in getting 

 fish out of the net, especially in rough weather, because of the outer nylon 

 curtain and perhaps because the nylon twine became soft when wet. The net 

 was transferred to the Boddin Station near Montrose where it was fished 

 from 30th June to 12th July, 1958. During this period it seemed that a seal 

 had managed to enter the fish court through the small door and an inspection 

 of the net by frogmen showed that at certain, stages of the tide the slack 

 netting of the fish court tended to come across the small door partially 

 blocking it to the entry offish. 



To try to obviate the first difficulty short metal rods were inserted in the 

 sides of the small door between the points of insertion of the horizontal 

 metal door pins. It was thought that this would stiffen the door without 

 making it inflexible and therefore difficult to haul over the gunwhale of a 

 boat. To try and overcome the second difficulty the extra netting in the fish 

 court was removed. 



During the 1959 commercial netting season the net was fished at Boddin 

 from the middle of February to the beginning of April and at Burnmouth 

 (Berwickshire) from the end of April till mid-September. At both stations 

 very similar results were obtained, which can be summarized as follows: 

 (a) Seals, perhaps with the exception of the very smallest, cannot enter the net. 

 {b) Although the other nets in the fleet have been torn and damaged by seals 

 the nylon net has not been affected. 



