SCOTTISH WHITE FISHERIES. 335 



Of the Shetland Fijherj. 



Thefe fifheries are, however, trivial when com- 

 pared with tfrofe of the north feas, particularly on 

 the banks which environ the Shetland iflands on 

 the eaft, north, and weft, at Unequal diftanoes from 

 land. 



The filh on thefe banks are large and numerous* 

 of which the natives take* cure, and export, from 

 500 to 1000 tons annually* Ling is the moft gene* 

 ral fifh $ tufk next} cod, few arid precarious. 



As thefe feas are boundlefs/ the filh inexhauftible, 

 and the demands unlimited, a flfhery might be efta- 

 blifhed to the extent of fome thoufand tons annually, 

 not folely by the natives, who are in a (late of fervi- 

 tude> and in the utmoft indigence, but by adventu- 

 rers from the whole eaftern coaft of Scotland, and the 

 Orkneys. 



The fifheries round Shetland are carried on by tws 

 different methods, viz. by boats accompanied with 

 decked veflels ; and, fccondly, by boats only. 



The fifheries of the firft clafs go out of fight of 

 land, where, in 90, loo, and 120 fathom water, 

 they get the largeft fifh. When arrived on the filh- 

 ing grounds they fet their long lines, each line of 56 

 fathom^ having i hooks; and thefe lines are joined 

 to one another till the number of hooks amount from 

 600 to lloo. The bufmefs of the Hoop is to keep 

 fight of the buoys of the lines, and receive the fifh 

 from the boats, and to fave the lives of the poor 

 fifhermen in bad or dangerous weather. This fifhery 

 Is carried on five days in the week, viz. between 

 Monday and Saturday* On their return they de- 

 liver the fifh to their refpedtive lairds at the rate of 

 35. 6d. per cwt. for all green fifh. It is one of the 

 conditions of their leafes, that they fhall fell no fifh 

 to any perfons but thofe of whom they hold the 

 lands, who fix the price of the fifh, and alfo furnifh 



them 



