60 nSIIING INDUSTRY OP TLYMOUTH. 



drift nets for herring and pilchard during the season when 

 those fish frequent these shores. 



During the herring and mackerel seasons there may be 

 from 150 to as many as 300 or 400 sail, belonging to other 

 ports, which bring their catch to Plymouth each day. 



Fishery. — Drift fishing is carried on at night ; the early 

 part of the night and the very early morning, being con- 

 sidered the best times. 



Shooting Nets. — The nets, which vary in size and size of 

 mesh according to the kind of fishery, and even of the district 

 fished, when '' shot,^' lie to windward of the boat ; they are 

 buoyed and weighted in such a manner that they hang 

 straiofht down from near the surface and drift with the cur- 

 rent. The boat to which they are attached drifts with the 

 nets, sail being taken off, and when heavy mackerel nets are 

 used the mast is '' stepped,'^ 



As the boat lies to leeward of the nets, and the wind acts 

 more on the boat than on the nets, the former drifts faster 

 than the latter, and so hauls them " taut." The nets hang 

 like a wall in the water, and the fish coming against them 

 tiy to swim through the meshes, and are caught by the 

 gills. 



The method of '^shooting the nets" among Plymouth 

 boats is as follows : — The nets are shot on the lee side of 

 the boat while it is going before the wind. Eventually 

 the boat brings up to leeward of the nets, generally 

 arranging they shall lie on the starboard side. 



Method of Fishing. — The nets are shot about sunset, and 

 an hour or so afterwards the first one or two nets are hauled 

 in to see if there are any fish in them. Should fish be about 

 they may be left until near daylight, or hauled about mid- 

 night and shot again, and again hauled in before daylight. 

 If fish are not in the nets when they ai-e examined they 

 haul them in and cruise to find a better place, and may 

 shoot and haul the nets several times before finding fish. 



" B riming." — In summer, at times when there is no moon, 

 the fish may be found by the phosphorescent light they cause 

 when disturbed. 



The boats cruise about, and every now and then the men 



