140 FISHERIES OF THE NORTH SEA 



remunerative except in the southern por- 

 tion. The inhabitants do not find it worth 

 while to spend the whole of their energies 

 on the sea, and in the coast villages the 

 crofter-fishermen often predominate. On 

 the west coast the fishermen spend all their 

 time in fishing, and the advantages of 

 confining all their energies to one occupa- 

 tion is soon perceived ; the vessels are 

 better equipped, the motor being extens- 

 ively used. Their methods are up to date, 

 and altogether the fishermen are pros- 

 perous busy folk. The Skagerack is the 

 chief ground, and the herring takes pre- 

 cedence ; but if prospects are good the 

 Bohuslanders, as they are called, will 

 venture to the Shetlands or work up the 

 Norwegian coast, or even to the banks of 

 North Russia. Thirty years ago, when the 

 steam trawler was introduced to Grimsby, 

 upward of 200 of the discarded smacks 

 found their way into the hands of these 

 fishermen. 



France. The French take little part 

 in the North Sea fisheries. The small 

 extent of their coast-line on the Straits of 

 Dover should not, however, exclude the 



