52 FISHING INDUSTliY OF PLYMOUTH. 



to the Nortli Sea to fish, and boats have gone there from 

 Plymouth. 



During the last three summers some Plymouth smacks 

 have gone over to the south coast of Ireland to fish. In 

 1885 twenty-one boats went there, and they had considerable 

 success ; but in 1886, although they report excellent trawl- 

 ing grounds and abundance of fine fish, they did not make 

 as much money as the few boats which remained on the 

 home grounds. This was partly owing to the calms which 

 prevailed oif the Irish coast during last summer, and the in- 

 ability to trawl on that account, and partly to the fact that 

 the few boats (only thirty) which remained in Plymouth 

 found a ready sale for the limited supply of fish they brought 

 to market. 



When the boats fished off the Irish coast they clubbed 

 together, and divided equally the proceeds of their fishing. 

 Some of the company were fitted with bunkers, in which 

 the fish was packed in ice, and they were used in turn to 

 carry the fish from the fishing ground to Plymouth. 



Although as a rule the trawlers are engaged in fishing- all 

 the year round, yet in summer time some of them are used 

 as small coasting cargo boats, chiefly for the carriage of 

 potatoes between Ireland, Scilly, and Tenby. 



Trawling Grounds. — The trawling grounds in the neigh- 

 bourhood of the port may be grouped into two districts, the 

 one within a line drawn from the Eddystone to Dodman 

 Point, the other outside that line. A line of rocks ruus 

 between these two points, over which it is, except in a few 

 places, impossible to trawl, and thus forms the two districts. 



It is, of course, essential that trawling grounds should be 

 free from rocks or other obstructions, wrecks, &c. ; and, in- 

 deed smooth ground, if it is formed of rock and not covered 

 with sand, will chafe and tear the net, and cannot be trawled 

 over. 



Variation of Gondition of Groiind. — The condition of the 

 inner ground trawled over varies greatly, according to the 

 time of the year. 



During the summer months, when there is but little wind 

 and sea, the trawling ground becomes covered with sand and 



