52 THE FISHING INDUSTRY 



for the most part owned by limited liability companies, 

 are known as offshore fisheries. The fisheries of the 

 seashore, carried on by small, privately-owned, sailing 

 smacks and cutters within territorial waters, are distin- 

 guished by the term " inshore fisheries." The inshore 

 fisheries are mainly for shellfish, crabs, lobsters, shrimps 

 and immature deep sea fish such as plaice, soles, flounders, 

 dabs, codling and sprats. 



Shrimps and whiting are caught with trawl nets of 

 25 ft. beam or less, and of about J in. mesh. The net 

 is generally drawn behind a small cutter, but frequently 

 it is used in shallow water with a horse and cart. These 

 nets are generally made of flax or cotton, and are either 

 tanned or tarred, in order to preserve them. 



Smaller, fine-meshed, trawl nets are used for catching 

 shrimps and also immature plaice, soles and dabs. 

 These shrimp nets are either attached to a long handle 

 and pushed through the water in front of the fisherman 

 (push nets), or drawn behind a small boat or a horse 

 and cart (trawl nets). 



Larger fish are sometimes caught in shallow water 

 by casting a net over the fish so as to enclose it (cast 

 nets). The fisherman of the Eastern Mediterranean uses 

 a cast net with conspicuous skill. The net is essentially 

 a circular disc of netting, to the circumference of which 

 small weights are attached at regular intervals. A 

 cord is attached to the centre of the net, and the fisher- 

 man, standing knee-deep in the water, grasps the net by 

 its centre, swinging it round his head, and casts it so 

 that as it approaches the water it opens out, and with 

 a soft splash sinks through the water until it lies out- 

 stretched over the fish. It is then drawn up by the 

 string attached to its centre, and the weighted edges fall 

 together enclosing the fish. 



Fish are often caught on shores and in rivers by 



