METHODS OF FISHING. 47 



sized trawl they are obliged to use, as mucli fisli as the 

 larger boats ; the reason of this according to my informants, 

 being, that tlie smaller sized boats trawl more regularly than 

 tlie larger boats, increase or decrease of wind during trawl- 

 ing having less effect upon them than upon the vessels of 

 greater tonnage. 



In explanation of this, I may state that only sufficient 

 sail is made upon a vessel towing her trawl to enable her 

 to drag it at a certain speed, say from one to three knots an 

 hour. Any sudden and considerable increase of wind driving 

 the boat too rapidly, lifts the trawl off the bottom, so that 

 the fish escape underneath, while a falling off of wind on^ 

 the other hand, stops the boat altogether, or causes it to 

 trawl too slowly and to make the trawl dig too much into the 

 ground and pick up too much sand or weed. These varia- 

 tions of the wind act more readily upon the larger than 

 upon the smaller vessels, hence the latter are considered to 

 trawl more regulai'ly than the former, and to catch quite as 

 much fish, 



3. That the crew of three men and a boy, while ample 

 for the smaller boat, is scarcely sufficient for the large boat, 

 and yet the difference is not sufficient to oblige the latter to 

 ship an extra hand. The smaller boats are, therefore, more 

 readily handled. 



4. That the smaller boats cost less than the larger in the 

 builder's yard. 



The obvious advantages of a larger boat are : 



1. Increased speed in getting out to the fishing ground and 

 home with fish ; and, therefore, increased time for fishing 

 and command of the early market to some extent. 



2. The power of using a larger-sized trawl, covering 

 more ground than the trawl of a smaller vessel ; and 



3. Greater storage capacity. 



If trawling here was conducted, as in the North Sea, on 

 the " fleeting system ;" if the trawlers travelled further to 

 sea and remained longer from home, the larger vessels 

 would be a necessity. A North Sea trawler may be as 

 much as eighty tons or even more. 



