242 SEA FISHERIES 



salted herring, caplin, or molluscs. In 1906 and 1907 

 certain skippers set their lines between two currents ; a 

 method which yielded excellent results. The Portuguese 

 "Newfoundlanders" fish the Grand Banks near Virgin's 

 Rocks with hand-lines in a depth of about 10 fathoms. 



On the Iceland banks hand-lines are used from the 

 schooners' decks. These lines, which are from 40 to 

 no yards in length, are fitted each with a lead of 6 Ibs. 

 or 7 Ibs. weight and a hook baited with lard or scraps 

 of fish. The fishermen give the line an up-and-down 

 vertical movement to attract the fish. It may be 

 imagined that fishing on the banks is a hard and 

 miserable trade. Exposed to storms, icebergs, fogs, and 

 collisions, the fisherman is crushed by efforts which 

 reach the limits of human endurance. When by chance 

 he has time to rest he has only a filthy hole to retire 

 to a miserable fo'c'sle smelling of sea-water and stale 

 fish. 



Lastly, we must consider the long line. This con- 

 sists of lengths of 100 to 160 yards, furnished with as 

 many hooks. On board, each length is placed in a 

 wicker basket. A cordier, or " line-trawler/' carries from 

 100 to 200 baskets, giving 9 to 18 miles of line. The 

 hooks are baited with slips of herring or squid, and the 

 lines are drawn over the slopes of the banks at a speed 

 of five or six knots, trailing from the stern of the boat, 

 which may keep a straight or a zigzag course. Scotland, 

 England, Fecamp, and most of the northern ports fit 

 out line-fishing smacks. In this way cod, haddock, ling, 

 rays, plaice, bream, flounders, and mackerel are caught. 



V 



With the exception of the otter-trawl, the types of 

 fishing-gear in use are very ancient, and have come 



