12 FISHERY INDUSTRIES OF THE UNITED STATES, 



to one wing of the net. The boats then separate, the net is shot, 

 and they begin paying out their respective warps through special 

 shackles at tlie stern. After 50 or 60 fathoms have passed out an 

 iron weiglit, or sinker, weighing 25 to 35 pounds is attached to each 

 line, in order to sink the net, and the remainder of the rope, 450 or 

 500 fathoms, is payed out. The towing speed varies from 2^ to 4 

 knots per hour. The opening in the net is about 12 fathoms from 

 one towing bar to the other. Ordinarily the boats tow about 800 

 feet apart. In stormy weather this distance is somewhat reduced, 

 and in fine weather is extended. 



In some instances fishermen prefer to purchase the bunt of their 

 nets ready-made, in which case it is usually made by machinery. 

 Sometimes, also, other parts of the net are purchased. A figure- 

 eight knot is generally used in machine-made nets, but the parts 

 made by hand are almost always made with the customary fisher- 

 man's knot. The illustration is not drawn to scale. 



LAMPARA NET. 



This net originated in the Mediterranean, where it has long been 

 in use. It is said to have been brought to California about 1900. 

 The lampara is so called from the Italian word ''lampo," meaninc^ 

 lightning, because used chiefly in taking sardines, anchovies, and 

 other small fishes which move with great quickness in the water, 

 flashing as they swim. These fish are usually taken at ni^ht, in the 

 "dark of the moon," since by day, or even on moonliglit nights, 

 they see the nets and avoid them. The lampara differs from the 

 paranzella in that it is intended to take fish at the surface or at but 

 a short distance below, while the paranzella is dragged on the bottom. 



Although the lampara nets are used chiefly for taking sardines 

 and other small fish, especially for bait, some nets of large dimen- 

 sions — up to 2,000 feet in length by 150 in depth — have been con- 

 structed of strong, heavy twine for the capture of larger fish, such as 

 sea bass, barracuda, yellowtail, etc. In these cases the range of 

 size of mesh may vary from 2-inch stretched mesh in the bag to 

 20-inch at end of \vings. So far, however, such nets have not proved 

 a general success, as they are awkward to handle on account of 

 their large size, and the fish captured in them are so powerful that 

 they often tear the net. 



The accompanying drawing (fig. 3) and description of the lampara 

 net are based on information supplied by E. M. Nielsen, assistant to 

 the California Fish and Game Commission at Monterey, and were 

 taken from a net of average size and make owned by a local fisherman. 



Referring to figure 3 and its legend, it will be noted that section 3 

 is of heavy nettmg to withstand wear and tear when the fish are 

 taken out of the net and section 4 acts as a wall to prevent the 

 fish from escaping. Section 5 is light and of small mesh so that the 

 fish do not gill in it; the net is usually fished in the dark of the moon, 

 and the phosphorescence in the water tends to deflect the fish from 

 the wings backward toward the bag of the net. The lead line is 

 |-inch diameter hemp rope and carries lead weights to a weight of 

 about 150 pounds, the leads being about 18 inches apart. 



