184 DEEP-SEA FISHING. 



very little done in that way except in connection with 

 oysters brought from Ireland, and laid down to fatten 

 for the market. The lazy methods of fishing by weirs 

 and set-nets for herrings and chance fish are adopted in 

 some places with occasional success; but, apart from 

 what may be a question as to the abundance or scarcity 

 of fish on the Welsh coast generall}'^, the great develop- 

 ment of the mining and quarrying industries in the 

 Principality will always be likely to interfere with 

 much local attention being given to a systematic pro- 

 secution of the sea fisheries, - with their attendant 

 uncertainties. 



Tenby is the only really important place as a fisliing 

 station ; and besides the trawl-smacks belonging to it, 

 some of the Brixham vessels work on the Tenby 

 ground every summer, which is the only time the fish 

 are found there. The regular trawling season lasts 

 from April to September ; after that the Brixham men 

 leave, and the smacks belonging to Tenby mostly lay 

 up for the winter; a little trawling only going on at 

 that season in Carmarthen Bay. The fishing ground 

 lies between Lundy Island and Carmarthen Bay ; and 

 the general scarcity of trawl-fish in winter is believed 

 to be owing to the disturbance of the ground by the 

 heavy Atlantic swell setting into the funnel-shaped 

 entrance of the Bristol Channel. In winter line-fishing 

 and oyster dredging are especially carried on ; and in 

 the regular seasons mackerel, pilchards, herrings, and 

 sprats are taken either by scans or fixed nets; but 

 these fisheries are more or less uncertain. The boats 

 used for dredging and line-fishing are large open ones, 

 with a crew of three men in each ; and carry a fore- 

 lugsail and sprit mizen. 



The principal fishery about Swansea is in connection 



