FISH AND FISHEUIES. 131 



The Long Reef grounds extend for a considerable distance seaward, 

 and being distant only some 5 miles from Sydney Heads, these grounds 

 have perhaps been more fished than any in the vicinity of Sydney, and 

 have, it must be confessed, stood the strain on their resources in a 

 remarkable manner. 



The ordinary varieties of fish seem most to frequent the feeding- 

 grounds presented by this extensive backbone of rocks during the 

 prevalence of southerly currents, and especially after light easterly 

 weather. Fish are here most abundant during the summer months. 

 At present the fishermen complain bitterly of the leather-jackets which 

 infest these and other grounds near Sydney, and it is no doubt true that 

 these execrable pest§ have been gradually increasing in numbers. 

 Their habit is to lie between the surface and the bottom where the 

 schnappers feed, and to gnaw off every bait, often with the snood too, 

 as it descends. Their numbers do not seem to diminish, however many 

 are caught, and the damage done in a single day to a fisherman's gear 

 has not seldom reached a far higher sum than the value of his freight 

 of marketable fish. As food this fish is not appreciated, though it is by 

 no means to be despised. The leather-jacket, howevei', has not the 

 appearance of a food fish, and in this respect, like the cat-fish, owes 

 much of his immunity to a rather repulsive exterior. 



It is said that some wide grounds have lately been found at a distance 

 of 10 miles or more from Long Reef Point, where in about 35 to 40 

 fathoms of water schnappers have been taken in large quantities. 

 Between Long Reef and the North Head the bottom is almost 

 uniformly foul, and no good outer grounds excepting those ofi" Deewhy 

 are found hereabout, at least for school fish. One may drop accidentally 

 upon a few fish almost anywhere, but these constantly recurring 

 patches of rocks appear to be barren of the small Crustacea and other 

 food afiected by schnappers, until we reach the line of reefs jutting out 

 (under water) from North Head. This, like Long Reef, forms a series 

 of fishing-grounds for schnappers, with a reputation of long standing, 

 but they are not now much to be depended on. Occasionally a few 

 boats may be seen (chiefly of the amateur fishing class) off" these 

 grounds, and on the Pine-tree, the Cobbler's ground, and others in the 

 vicinity, but the fish no longer frequent these places in payable 

 quantities. There was once a good fishing-ground lying about due east, 

 and at a distance of about 3 miles from the Heads, but it is said that 

 the mud-punts which here discharge the silt and harbour filth have quite 

 disgusted the schnapper, whatever attractions they may have created 

 for the " leather-jackets. " 



The next grounds resorted to by fishermen are off the Flagstafi", and 

 ofi" Mud Island (near the proposed outlet of the main sewer), and then 

 passing a few others of less note we come to the celebrated Coogee 

 fishing-grounds. These are situated at varying distances of 1 to 3 

 miles from a small rocky islet known as the " Island of Rocks," and 

 lying a short distance from the shore of Coogee Bay. Enormous: 

 freights of schnapper have been taken along this line of grounds, and 

 fair quantities are still taken. This is a favourite fishing-ground for the 

 various fishing clubs which pursue their recreation in steam launches 

 and steam tugs, and by sheer force of numbers and the ease with which 



