THE WESTERN MACKEREL FISHERY. 283 



Cligny, in a paper entitled " Les pretendues migrations du maquer- 

 eau," has pointed out that the existence of mackerel congregated in 

 dense shoals on the bottom in this particular area, was first brought to 

 light during the winter of 1901, and that since that time a regular 

 trawling industry for mackerel by means of a specially designed trawl 

 has been carried on by the Boulogne fishermen, in the early spring. 



In regard to this fishery, it has been stated by many fishermen at 

 Plymouth that the best catches are made during the daytime, night 

 trawling being often entirely unproductive. 



From a consideration of this fact, the fishermen at first were of the 

 opinion that the mackerel rose to the surface at night, and a certain 

 number of boats shot drift-nets in the area where it was known that 

 successful trawling during the day had been carried out. In every 

 instance, however, the catches made at the surface were very light, 

 and the practice was soon abandoned owing to the risk of damage 

 to nets. 



Toward the end of March, 1907, a Plymouth steam trawler, the 

 Condor, was furnished with a special mackerel trawl, constructed in 

 France ; but losing this net on her first shot on the mackerel ground, an 

 ordinary otter trawl was employed, with the result that a catch of 

 nearly eight thousand mackerel was made, fish measuring 12| to 14 in. 

 in length. A Boulogne fisherman, who was superintending this fishing, 

 expressed an opinion that had the trawl been a regular mackerel trawl, 

 and the speed capability of the vessel greater, a far larger catch would 

 have been made. This fishing was carried out, on a position roughly 

 25 miles S.W, of Start, on the 24th of March. Five days later a 

 Brixham smack landed nine mackerel caught amongst other fish 

 20 miles S.E. of Start. From information received from Boulogne* 

 it would appear that in 1907, throughout January, February, and 

 the earlier part of March, the French trawling fleet, numbering nearly 

 thirty vessels, were landing regular catches of sixty thousand down. 

 During the third week of March, however, the catches rapidly decreased, 

 until at the end of the month scarcely ten per cent of the former 

 catches were landed, and the fishery was therefore discontinued. 



Cligny, in the paper mentioned above, remarks on the close shoaling 

 within certain limited areas on the ground in question, and this condi- 

 tion has been further evidenced during 1907 by statements made by 

 the Boulogne fisherman in charge of the Condor's operations, who 

 mentioned that of two vessels trawling within half a mile of each other, 

 on a parallel course, the one would often obtain a large catch, whilst 



* A series of telegrams giving daily market reports, for the use of which the writer is 

 indebted to Mr. R. H. Palmer. 



