18 



PROPOSED MUSSEL BED AT HOLY ISLAND. 



By a. meek. 



I intimated in the last report that the Northumberland Sea 

 Fisheries Committee found it could not proceed with the forma* 

 tion of the mussel bed on the lines which were contemplated. 

 They formed, however, a Mussel Committee, wliich, in association 

 with the fishermen, has made much progress in the matter. We 

 now see our way to make a start with the work of transplantation 

 on a fahly large scale, without at the present time taking the 

 fishermen away from their useful employment. It is obvious that 

 under present conditions we camiot expect to start on the scale 

 which was originally intended, but we hope nevertheless to trans- 

 plant to the Scaup a fairly large quantity of mussels, and the 

 progress of these will be watched with interest by the Mussel 

 Committee as well as by the fishermen. I hope to be able to 

 report that the prehminary work has been satisfactorily accom- 

 pHshed, and that in the near future we shall be able to supply the 

 whole district with mussel bait. 



