F. S. Wright 147 



The Portmadoc Mussel Beds. 



Description of the Fishing Grounds. 



The mussel beds at Portmadoc are situated in the River Glaslyn, 

 near Portmadoc, and, lower down the river, at Borth-y-Gest, there are 

 certain small mussel-bearing areas. The latter are not important at 

 the present time, and need not be described here. 



The cliief beds lie {(t) at Llyn bach (above the 'Ffestiniog railway 

 l)ridge), (b) in the Dock, and, turning sharply in a north-easterly direction, 

 the latter bed follows (c) the "gutter" or channel behind the New Quay. 

 Scattered beds of small extent exist in the vicinity of the Slate Wharf 

 and Ballast Bank, rather lower down stream. 



The current here is comparatively tranquil, and, for the most part, 

 the mussels maintain themselves on the substratum (mixed sand and 

 mud) in bunches or clusters. The population in all the above areas is 

 very abundant. Extensive seed beds adjoin the fishing grounds. 



Acreage of the Portmadoc Mussel Beds, etc. 



The figures given below were estimated from a large scale map of the 

 district, and checked from my own knowledge of the fishing grounds. 

 These occupy the more or less level bed of the river, and. therefore, it is 

 not difficult to gain an approximate idea of their superficial area by 

 such methods. This is, roughly, 400,000 square feet (rather above 

 nine acres). 



Assuming, as before, an ideal population of 121 mussels per square 

 foot over the whole of this surface, we get the large total of 48,000,000 

 individuals (2|" in length). This figure represents a total of 29,784 bags 

 (approximately), and, in terms of money, a sum of £7446. 0.s'. Oc?. 

 Reckoning, as for Aberdovey, the amount of transplantation necessary 

 to maintain this large production, we find that it involves the deposition 

 of 554 tons (nearly). It would not be possible to procure this large 

 amount of seed in Portmadoc itself, and, therefore, this factor might be 

 regarded as governing the output of these beds. Near Pwllheli, however, 

 there is a very large seed bed, the population of which is available to 

 restock the Portmadoc fishing grounds, if necessary. 



Should intensive myticulture ever be practised in this country, 

 methods will have to be devised in order to increase the amount of space 

 available for the settlement of spat. The plan of mapping out the many 

 beds of poorly nourished mussels on various parts of the coast has been 



