80 FISHING INDUSTRY OF PLYMOUTH. 



Plym, and in Cattewater Harbour, opposite Queen Anne 

 Battery, tliey used to be abundant ; there are, however, no 

 beds now — a few isolated oj^sters may be picked up here and 

 there. This failure of the Cattewater beds is, by some, 

 attributed to over- dredging, but it would appear more 

 probably to be due to the refuse from china-clay works 

 pouring down the river and choking the beds. 



It is said (No. 2) that the mineral sand and clay, which is 

 so frequently brought down by the South Devon rivers, 

 foi'ms, with the chemical constituents of the sea water, a com- 

 pound which destroys oysters. Scott states, speaking of the 

 Devonshire oyster fisheries, that in 1864 there were prac- 

 tically no Devonshire oysters, and he considers this due to 

 over-dredging (No. 22). 



Tamar Beds. — Up the Tamar, at the month of the St. 

 Germains Eiver, there are, however, still oyster beds, though 

 I cannot learn that they are in a flourishing condition. 



In the Sound. — In the Sound, opposite West Hoe Terrace, 

 at the foot of the Hoe, oysters are being laid down for 

 storage, I am told. 



Mussels {Mytilus edulis). — Mussels are plentifully obtained 

 fi'om the hulks lying in the Cattewater and the Hamoaze, and 

 from the stones of the Breakwater. They are also dredged 

 in large quantities in the lower reaches of the Hamoaze, 

 and are then bedded on a bank near Saltash Bridge. 



Cockle Beds {Gardium edule). — Cockle beds exist both 

 up the River Plym, near Laira Bridge (to the north of it), 

 and on a bank bare at low water, which lies in the centre 

 of the Tamar river, some little distance north of Saltash. 

 Only a very small trade is carried on in these shell-fish. 



II. — Industeies connected with the Fishing Trade carried 

 ON IN Plymouth. 



This subject may be subdivided into — 



]. Boatbuilding. 2. Sail making. 3. Rope making and 

 fishing-line making. 4. Net breeding. 5. Fish curing. 6. Fish- 

 skin curing. 7. Fish-oil manufacture. 8. Ice manufacture. 



Boat Building. — The chief industry connected with the 

 fish trade which is carried on in Plymouth is boat building ; 



