for the capture of the fish, and they have gradually increased 

 in size and effectiveness since the time van Riebeck first 

 imported them from Holland. It has also been found neces- 

 sary to go further and further to sea in these fishing operations. 



About thirty years ago a new and large market was opened 

 up in Mauritius, where there was a great request on the part 

 of the Indian population for fish ; the native African is not a 

 fish-eater. It was found that salted and dried Snoek was 

 admirably adapted for export, and gradually a large trade 

 arose in this article. 



The increasing white population and the opening up of the 

 country by railways brought about an increased demand for 

 fish. To meet this demand, there were several attempts to 

 discover new fishing grounds and employ more modern and 

 effective methods of fishing. In place of the open boats, seine 

 nets and hand lines, which had proved inadequate, decked 

 boats, long lines, drift nets, trawling, purse seines were tried. 

 About the year 1892 an enterprising private firm fitted out a 

 well-equipped vessel, the Harry Mundahl, for the exploitation 

 of possible grounds further afield, but, unfortunately, the 

 enterprise did not prove successful. Again, at Port Elizabeth, 

 another attempt was made to introduce new methods by the 

 importation of skilled fishermen from the North Sea ports, 

 but for some reason this led to no practical result. Trawling 

 experiments were also carried out by various private individuals 

 and firms. Table Bay and False Bay were tried, as also 

 Mossel Bay and Algoa Bay, with varying results. A small 

 area was found in Table Bay suitable for trawling, and for 

 many years the tugs in their spare time visited this ground with 

 trawl nets. They occasionally caught a few soles, but the area 

 proved to be so limited that trawling was ultimately abandoned. 

 In False Bay and Mossel Bay the trawling experiments were 

 unsuccessful. At Port Elizabeth (Algoa Bay) better results 

 were obtained, but not sufficient to justify the employment 

 of regular trawlers, and here also trawling was carried on by 

 tugs in their spare time. Purse-seine netting was tried in and 

 near Table Bay by an enterprising American firm, and this 

 method of fishing proved very effective. Mackerel especially 

 was caught in great abundance and exported to America. 

 Partly on account of the opposition of the native fishermen 

 and their representations to Government, and partly as the 

 enterprise was not, on the whole, a financial success, it was not 

 continued. 



It was under these circumstances that in 1895 the matter 

 was taken up by the Cape Government, and arrangements 

 were made to carry out a general marine biological survey, 



