HERRING FISHING. 63 



aBtl Dodmau Point to a parallel line drawn, forty miles south 

 of the coast. 



Winter Fishing Ground. — In January (i. e. daring the 

 *' winter fishing "), as a rule, the boats go to the ground 

 furthest away from the coast ; as the season advances the 

 fish approach the shore, and the fishing is nearer home. 



Sunimer Fishing Ground. — During the '' summer fishing " 

 season the fish are generally found from four to twelve miles 

 from the coast. 



The eai'ly fishing is to the eastward, the late fishing to 

 the westward of the port. 



It will be understood these remarks are only approxi- 

 mately correct, owing to the variable supply of fish and the 

 somewhat irregular course of their migrations. 



Fishery Productive. — This fishery appears to be very pro- 

 ductive, and no falling off in the supply of fish is, I believe, 

 reported. 



Herring Fishing. 



The herring fishing for this port lasts from November 

 to the end of January. 



Boats. — The boats from other ports, which may number 

 about 200, fishing here at this time hail from west country 

 ports. 



Nets. — The herring nets are each 120 yards long and 

 three fathoms deep, twelve nets forming a " fleet," which is, 

 therefore, nearly a mile long. The mesh is 1"125" or 1 058" 

 across, i. e. thirty-two to thirty-four meshes to the yard in 

 some cases ; many boats, however, use smaller meshed nets, 

 about "97" across or thirty-seven meshes to the yard. This 

 latter is about the mesh used for pilchards, and these nets ai-e 

 practically pilchard nets, and may be used to catch both fish. 



Nets " SJiot." — The nets are buoyed at intervals of five to 

 seven fathoms, and the " back " of the net lies about three 

 and a half fathoms below the surface ; this distance is varied, 

 however, according to the depth of the water fished and the 

 depth at which the shoals are swimming. 



On account of the depth at which the nets lie, and their 

 consequent safety from accident by being cut by passing 



