108 FISHING IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF PLYMOUTH. 
month occurred on the 25th night. The trawling shown to the south 
of the Eddystone on the “home ground” occurred on the 10th day, A 
curious patch of crabbers is noticeable two to three miles south of the 
Mewstone. 
November.—The mackerel marked in last chart are now shown to have 
been joined by other shoals. Fishing continued a few miles south of 
Eddystone during most of the month, but on the 19th the position 
shown just south of the Mewstone was discovered. 
On the 5th the trawlers worked over the same ground as the 
mackerel men, and considerable damage to the drift-nets resulted. 
A little long lining, which occurred in the early part of the 
month, is noticeable inside of the Hddystone, the boats having 
returned from the west. ‘Towards the end of the month, however, 
the takes being poor, the lines were transferred to Bolt Head. 
Only six crabbing boats were at work during this month. 
December.—It will be noticed that the mackerel have now dis- 
appeared from the inshore waters. The boats followed them to the 
eastward, however, as they receded. On the 10th good takes were 
obtained twenty miles off Salcombe, and also off Start Point. 
In coming to the end of the inshore mackerel fishing for another 
year, it may be well to glance for a moment at the paper I published 
in a previous number of this Journal on The Mackerel Fishing of 
1889-90 (vol. 1, No. 1, p. 4). In looking first at the whole season 
the same general systematic movements can be observed, viz. the 
appearance of the shoals away off-shore to the eastward of Plymouth, 
the gradual travelling westward and approach to the shore, the 
appearance of very large shoals during the height of summer, 
followed by their division into smaller shoals, which gradually recede 
during the autumn in the direction from which they came. 
That considerable variation takes place as to the exact time when 
mackerel are found in a definite locality is, of course, to be expected. 
The causes which influence the natural instinct of the fishes are, no 
doubt, many. Unfavorable climatic conditions or powerful artificial 
influences, such as target practice seawards or torpedo and mine firing, 
may have a direct action on the movements of the fish themselves, or 
may affect their food so as to cause a similar result. 
A continued low or high temperature may retard or accelerate the 
breeding season, and hence the coming of the fish. 
With regard to the fishing seasons of the two years under com- 
parison there seems to be aslight difference in time. In July, 1890, 
the mackerel began to come close inshore, and during the month of 
August were taken in considerable quantities in Plymouth Sound. 
On the Ist of September we read, p. 13, “ Mackerel going off into 
open water. Shoals breaking up.” 
