l6 MUSSEL CULTURE 



must also note the decline both at home and 

 from abroad. In 1892 there was a decrease in the 

 number of net and line fishermen by 317 (92 

 boats). In 1893 we are told the decrease in the 

 amount of bait from abroad is 20,800 cwts., from 

 native sources 7453 cwts. (Board of Trade returns), 

 making a total of 28,253 cwts., or 141 2 tons 13 

 cwts. Looking at these figures from the opposite 

 point of view, so as to arrive at the total quantity 

 of mussels landed from all recorded sources, and 

 taking the figure of 14,500 cwts. of shell-fish given 

 in the quotation from the Fishery Board Report 

 as 12,000 cwts. of mussels — on account of the 

 statement that ' mussels contributed principally to 

 these figures' — we find that in 1893 there were 

 241,158 cwts., or 12,057 tons, and in 1892 the 

 much larger total of 279,986 cwts., or practically 

 14,000 tons (13,999), a decrease in the recorded 

 supply for 1893 of 2000 tons of mussels. This 

 is a noteworthy falling off, coupled as it is with a 

 corresponding rise in money-value. 



It is perhaps unfortunate, that in official returns 

 of weights of fish some system of indicating the 

 relation between the hundredweight (the standard 

 usually employed) and the number of fish or shell- 

 fish it contains is not given. As in the important 



