TRAWLING 



means larger and heavier tackle, a larger crew (including 

 deck-hands, whose work is to see to the cleaning and 

 storing of the fish, and to do odd jobs aboard), and larger 

 catches. Boats of this description are provided not only 

 with patent capstans, but also with blocks and ropes for 

 hoisting the bag of the trawl on board. 



The Irish fleets still cleave to the older sailing-boat 

 method; in 1900 Dublin alone possessed a fleet of over 

 fifty cutter-rigged smacks averaging forty tons. 



It must not be supposed that trawling is confined to 

 Leith, Grimsby, Ramsgate, Brixham, and a few such 

 important centres. In almost every fishing-town there 

 are men who, in spring and summer, go out short 

 distances for a day or two at a time with a view to 

 supplying just the local market. If an owner does not 

 happen to possess trawling-gear he can soon hire it ; at a 

 pinch he can use his shrimp-net, which is practically the 

 same thing. 



Private ventures such as this are often exceedingly 

 lucrative, for the expenses and wear and tear are inappreci- 

 able as compared with those of a regular trawler ; and 

 each man frequently finds that he has earned as much in 

 those few hours or days as he could make at other fishing 

 in as many weeks. 



