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The Mackerel Fishery in the West of England. 



By 

 R. J. Ridge. 



The mackerel fishery began off Plymouth, in January, and boats 

 from Yarmouth, Lowestoft, Newhaven, Brighton, Eastbourne, 

 Hastings, Plymouth, together with a considerable number of Mount's 

 Bay boats (Porthleven, Newly n, and Mousehole) were engaged in the 

 above fishery. Fish were found about the 13th January fifteen to 

 twenty-five miles south-west of the Start Point, of a very fine quality, 

 and wei-e caught in considerable quantities for some few nights, 

 catches from two lasts (20,000) down to few hundreds per boat. 

 Westerly and south-west winds prevailing (strong breezes), very 

 stormy weather set in, and fishing operations were interrupted for 

 three weeks, when the boats got to work again, meeting only with 

 light catches for some weeks, February and March were not very 

 successful months, easterly winds set in and continued throughout 

 above months, and practically nothing was done till latter part of 

 March and beginning of April, when boats fell in with fish south- 

 west of Eddystone fifteen to twenty-five miles. There fish were 

 not so fine in quality as those of January, and appeared to be quite 

 distinct from the latter. Some good hauls were secured, one last 

 (being about the largest catch) to few hundreds per boat. The 

 fishing continued up to May, and boats did fairly well, a good 

 average earnings was obtained ; prices kept up, especially during 

 Lent. 



The spring fishing off the Lizard was practically a failure, no 

 doubt the result of strong east winds ; generally the Mount's Bay 

 boats meet with good catches of fish during March and Apinl from 

 five to twelve miles south-west to west of the Lizard. In 1887 it 

 was late in April before they were met with in any considerable 

 quantities, but this year (1888) very few indeed were secured on 

 this ground. 



A few nights' good fishing were secured twenty-five to thirty 

 miles south to south-south-east of Lizard, and the quality very clearly 

 indicated them to be of the usual Lizard spring shoal. 



The commencement of May Bay -boats* shifted nets (took on 



* The fishing boats belonging to Mount's Bay are usually spoken of in the West 

 of England as the " Bay-boats." — Ed. 



