2802 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



such as we use in our steamer to capture flounders and such fish. 

 Wherever you see the word trawl used by an English or European 

 writer you must apply it to that large net that is dragged behind the 

 vessel along the bottom of the sea. The word trawl is never applied in 

 Europe to the line, and, therefore, there is a great deal of vagueness and 

 error involved in the consideration of the subject unless you know what 

 the particular speaker or witness means by a trawl. But speaking 

 of the long line, which is the general term, or bultow, I have failed to 

 find in the reports of the British Fishery Commission any complaint by 

 anybody except three cases of complaint against the trawl line or long 

 line. One was that it destroyed the young fish, and the others were that 

 they interfered with the nets. They complained that the trammel net 

 especially, which is a particular kind used in England, was fouled by 

 these lines and injured. 



Q. On the other hand, the net was in the way of the trawl ? A. No; 

 the trawl was in the way of the nets. The trawlers didn't care about 

 the net, but the net fishermen did complain of the trawl. But I have 

 looked carefully to find whether there was any complaint against that 

 line, and I haven't found it. There may be, but I am quite confident 

 it has not assumed anything like the antagonistic features and impres- 

 sion of magnitude that it has iu the United States and Amerisa gen- 

 erally. 



Q. We mean by the trawl a long line weighted or anchored which 



sinks to the bottom and has A. It has branches three feet long. 



That is called a long line or bultow. 



Q. Then at intervals there are buoys ! A. Yes. 



Q. To show the position. They are usually in a straight line ! A. In 

 Europe there are generally several shorter lines united in one long line, 

 so much so that on the coast of Great Britain they have a line of trawls 

 six or eight miles in length. In America the trawling on the Banks is 

 generally by means of five shorter lines radiating from the vessel, but 

 in England the trawling is done generally on a large scale, without row- 

 boats, directly from a vessel of forty or sixty tons, and the entire series 

 of lines is united in one and sunk. 



Q. They are hauled in from aboard the vessel, and not from a boat 

 at all ? A. Yes. 



Q. Now, what do they call that which we call a trawl, if it is used at 

 all ? A. They call it a long line or bultow. 



Q. What bait do you find to be the best for codfish ? A. Well, I 

 can't say I find any bait to be the best, because I never caught many 

 fish, but I know that everything of an animal nature, and to some ex- 

 tent vegetable, has been used for the cod. Generally, in America, our 

 bait consists of herring, menhaden, mackerel, a portion of the offal of 

 the fish, sea-birds of various kinds, clams, squid, and the various species 

 of shells, and in fact anything that can be got hold of. 



Q. Well, now, what are the methods of preservation of this bait ! We 

 have heard of their using salt clams, &c. Has much attention been 

 paid to the possibility of greater preservation of the bait than we have 

 ever yet had f A. Yes ; the science of preserving bait, as well as of the 

 preservation of fish on shipboard, is very low indeed, far below what 

 can be applied, and I have no doubt will be applied, both in keeping fish 

 for food and in keeping it for bait. 



Q. Now, will you state what observation you have made respecting 

 the method of preserving fresh bait from the start all the voyage 

 through ? A. As a general rule it is now preserved, either by salting 

 or freezing. Of course they keep it as long as it will remain without 



