REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. XXXV 



the fishermen of Norway, has never been adopted by the fishermen of 

 our coast. Knowing the profits derived froui the use of tliese nets by 

 those foreign fishermen, Professor Baird, who is ever anxious to intro- 

 duce among the Americans any methods that will result to their ad- 

 vantage in the prosecution of the fisheries, decided to make experiments 

 with them at Cape Ann, with a view to their introduction among our 

 shore cod-fishermen. Accordingly he secured from parties in Norway a 

 set of these nets and forwarded them to Gloucester to be thoroughly 

 tested by the employes of the Commission at that i)lace. They reached 

 the hatchery when the pasture school was on the shore, and were set 

 on the favorite fishing grounds a number of times. But the strength of 

 the twine had probably been aflected in transit, and the nets proved far 

 too frail. The strong tide and rough water caused them to catch 

 among the rocks, where they were badly damaged ; while numerous 

 holes indicated clearly that large fish had torn their way through the 

 nets, only such being retained as had become completely rolled up in 

 the twine. The nets were always taken from the water in bad order, 

 but the capture of 800 pounds on one occasion, even under the circum- 

 stances, seemed to indicate that nets of sufficient strength might be 

 used to good advantage, at least on the smooth fishing grounds along 

 the coast." 



Having made the preliminary trials with the nets, and demonstrated 

 that with reasonably fair chances a good catch might be obtained with 

 them, the oiier to lend the nets to any responsible fisherman who would 

 give them a fair and thorough trial was made. The manner of setting 

 them was also explained to any persons who applied for information. 



But fishermen are somewhat conservative, and do not hurriedly adopt 

 new ideas about catching fish. They know that they can ill aflbrd to 

 ■waste time or money on questionable ventures. Whatever was the 

 cause it appears that none of the fishermen showed a desire either that 

 ■winter or the next to try the gill-nets. 



When Captain Collins left for the Berlin International Fishery Exhi- 

 bition in 1880 he received special instructions to study, from a practical 

 standpoint, the Norwegian methods of using these nets, so that our 

 fishermen might be provided with all the information that could be ob- 

 tained. On his return he embodied the facts in a report on the methods 

 of catching cod in Norway ; giving, also, an account of the methods 

 that have been tried by our fishermen, as these differ in some respects 

 from those of the Norwegians. This has been published in the Fish 

 Commission Bulletin for 1881. 



Although the fruits of the work done by the Commission in 1878 did 

 not immediately appear, the seed that was thus sown was destined in 

 time to bear its legitimate fruit. 



The difficulty of procuring a supi)ly of bait is a source of great trouble 

 to the shore fishermen, and its cost, even when it is obtainable, is so 

 great that oftentimes the fishermen hesitate to invest, fearing that it 



