200 DEEP-SEA FISHING. 



not be able to build and keep up a fleet of such costly 

 vessels as they have had in use for some years past. 

 The conclusion that the fisheries are declining does not 

 appear therefore to be well founded. 



The trawling ground off Plymouth is, as we have 

 before mentioned, of very limited extent, being about 

 21 miles in length and 9 miles in its greatest breadth ; 

 the larger portion of it is west of the Eddystone, and 

 inside that well-known mark. The frequent bad 

 weather in winter often puts a stop to all kinds of 

 fishing outside the Breakwater, and the consequent 

 fluctuation in the success of the deep-sea fishery has 

 at times checked the development of the trawling 

 interests. The Plymouth men keep almost entirely on 

 their own ground, and except at certain times when 

 they work specially for soles, all their fishing is done 

 by daylight. Their general practice is to go out early 

 in the morning, and to return in the afternoon. Besides 

 trawling there is hooking, both by hand and longlines; 

 and drift-fishing for mackerel, herrings, and pilchards 

 is also carried on ; but the drift-boats which work from 

 Plymouth belong to a large extent to other ports, the 

 direct railway communication from the town giving 

 them great facilities for sending away their fish. There 

 is also a sprat fishery by seans in winter. It is believed 

 that the deposit of mud in the Sound, due to the erec- 

 tion of the Breakwater, has destroyed many of the 

 feeding grounds of fish which are said to have been at 

 one time plentiful inshore. 



Brixham, situated on the south side of Torbay, 

 has long been famous for its connection with the sea 

 fisheries ; and has good grounds for disputing with 

 Barking the honour of being considered the mother- 

 port of our deep-sea beam-trawlers. The connnence- 



