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places easy of access from the Scaup, and all that is necessary is 

 to move the young mussels periodically from the regions where 

 they do not grow to the Scaup where they rapidly reach bait size 

 and maturity. The supply on the Scaup thus formed by trans- 

 plantation may be cropped as completely as may be found to be 

 necessary without detriment. 



': We calculate that the fishermen of the Northumberland 

 district require rather more than 500 tons of mussels each year, 

 and this could be suppHed at say £2 per ton. But the aim ought 

 to be to increase the supply to a greater extent than is demanded 

 by the district. Possibly a profit could be derived from the 

 regulation of the other shellfish of the area, especially cockles and 

 periwinkles. 



" We recommend therefore that the ground should be leased 

 for twenty years by the Committee for the purpose of the cultivation 

 of shellfish, and that the necessary arrangements for transplanta- 

 tion and subsequent distribution be entered into with as httle 

 delay as possible. 



" The mussel scaup is a large one, and could easily and in a 

 short period be made to bear a heavy croi^ of mussels. Its isolation 

 from the railway is at once a drawback and an advantage, for 

 supervision is thereby reduced to a minimum. We have to choose 

 between overcoming the difficulties of land transport and adopting 

 a scheme for sea transport. We recommend the latter. The 

 fishermen of the northern part of the district may find it convenient 

 to go to the Scaup in their own boats for their supplies. But for 

 the purpose of taking mussels to Seahouses for putting on the 

 railway and for the work of transplantation we recommend that 

 a flat boat of the shape of a salmon coble, measuring say 20 feet, 

 with a beam of say 5 feet, and provided with a small motor — 5 

 horse-power — altogether costing about £100, should be obtained. 

 A boat of this size would be able to carry a load of 2 tons, and thus 

 during the favourable part of the year large cj^uantities of young 

 mussels could be transplanted, and the produce of the beds could 

 be run as required to Seahouses. 



" Holy Island is the only village near to the Scaup, and for 

 labour and supervision we should naturally look to that place. 

 One man would have to be permanently employed, and for con- 

 venience ought to be housed in the house at present available on 



