256 EEPORT 



OMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



Another slightly heavier line— the meter— froui "40 to 120 thread seine-twine," is 

 stretched along the seaming and secured with seizings at intervals of a yard. The 

 meter and seaming on one side of a net are usually together, about equal to from "CO 



to 140 thread" line, according to the 

 exposure to storms at dili'erent fish- 

 ing-grounds, and the dejith of the 

 water in which tlie nets are set. 



The seauiing is for the purpose of 

 stretching the net, the meter for 

 strength, and the attachment on 

 one side of the stones, on the other 

 the floats. 



The floats are splinters of cedar, 

 thirty inches long aiul about one 

 and a fourth inches wide, and three- 

 eighths of an incli thick, 'ilie stone 

 is a small cobble-stcme, weighing 

 about one and a fourth pounds, 

 notched on its edges to secure a 

 string. 



Both floats and stones are taken 

 olf, when the nets are drawn up 

 from the lake. A few tishermeu use 

 gill-nets with permanent corks and 

 leads, similar to those used on seines. 



The mesh measured in its length, 

 or when stretched so as to form two 

 parallel lines, is barely from four and 

 one-fourth to five iuches. The com- 

 monest size, formerly, was four and 

 one-half iuches, but within a few 

 years nets with four and one- 

 fourth inches mesh have been on the 

 increase. The gill-net captures a 

 fish by entangling it in its meshes. 



In setting the nets, the stones and 

 floats are tied on in the shanty, and 

 the nets, with the floats, are folded 

 into bales on a tray, with the stones 

 in anotiier tray drawn up to tlie 

 first. A "gang" of from eight to 

 thirty-six nets ai'e put in the boat, 

 with tliree lines aud two buoys. 

 After reaching the fishing-ground, 

 in from eighteen to seventy fathoms 

 of water, a stone, weighing from 

 fifty to seventy-five pounds, is tied 

 on the ends of two lines, one a buoy 

 line and the other a stretcher. The 

 stone is lowered to the bottom, when 

 a buoy is tied to the eiul of tme line, 

 and the end of a net to the stretcher. 

 The boat is moved slowly ahead, 

 while the gang of nets is paid out, 

 one man throwing the stones and 

 another the floats. The weights are 

 so closely balanced to the buoyancy 

 of the floats, that their points are 

 seen standing above water in a long 

 line astern, while they slowly sink. 

 When they come to the last net, a 

 line, with a stone attached, is tied 

 on and lowered to the bottom, and 

 to the upper end a buoy is fast- 

 ened. These buoys have a flag-stafl", 

 with the flag six or seven feet above 

 They guide the fishermen to the ends of the gang, and the two are often 



the surface. 



a mile apart. . j. ., 



Taking up the «efe.— The nets are taken up by hauling in the line until the end ot tlie 

 net is reached, when they are drawn over a roller fixed in the bow of the boat— nets, 



