6 THE FISH OF DORSET. 



And at Lyme Cobb 1 first. 16 second, and 30 third-class.* 



The trawling boats generally carry a man and a boy, or two 

 men, and the third-class from 1 to 6 or 12, according to the work 

 they are doing, as of course the large seines take many more men 

 to work them than the small ones or hooking. The reason we 

 have no deep-sea fishing is that the sea bottom in the offing from 

 Portland to East of the Isle of Wight is rough and unsuitable for 

 trawling, being mainly composed of broken shells, stones, and a 

 sort of coral (Eschara foliacea), which fish don't seem to like, 

 and so much is this the case that an Eastbourne fisherman once 

 told me that the Sussex fishing luggers never thought it worth 

 their while to put a hook line over board when becalmed anywhere 

 between these points. Still there are spots where a trawl could 

 be used, but only under steam, and this is now prohibited by the 

 Southern Fisheries Board. 



The nets in general use along our coast are the trawl, seines of 

 various sizes, drift nets, stop or ploucli nets, and trammel nets. 



The trawl is a conical bag, the mouth of which is kept open 

 by a wooden beam supported at each end on a hoop of iron, and 

 dragged along the bottom, where it sweeps up everything it comes 

 across. I have taken lumps of coal, a new galvanised bucket, and 

 a navy coal sack with two lobsters in it. 



The hoops, or heads, as they are called, are not quite round, 

 the under side being flat and called the shoe. On the front side 

 is a ring, to which the bridle or span is attached, and on the top 

 is another larger ring, into which the end of the beam fits. In 

 one head this ring is square, while in the other it is made round, 

 and the object of this is to enable the heads always to sit square 

 on the ground, even if the beam should get twisted. The beam 



* In all, 1 first, 55 second, and 286 third-class boats, the third-class 

 including all sorts of rowing boats from the large seine boats which, 

 though larger than some of the second-class, are open boats and only 

 used with oars, down to canoes arid gunning punts. The large seine 

 boats are from 18 to 21 feet long by about 7 to 8 feet 6 inches beam, row 

 6 oars, and cost 25. 



