272 APPARATUS FOR FISHING. 



from the land, as in the North Sea, pounded ice is plenti- 

 fully strewed among the fish, and every care is taken to 

 preserve them in good condition till the opportunity comes 

 for sending them to market. The vast numbers of had- 

 docks which are taken by the trawl are not always packed 

 in boxes like the prime fish, but, after being roughly 

 cleaned, are stowed away with layers of ice between them 

 in the hold of the vessel till in the course of a few days she 

 returns to port. Although a great number of haddocks 

 are sold fresh, the majority of those caught by the trawl 

 are dried and smoked, for which there is an unfailing 

 demand. 



During the last few years one of the most important 

 changes which have taken place in connection with deep- 

 sea fishing has been the application of steam-power to 

 trawl vessels. Many experiments have been tried from 

 time to time with this object, but although there has been 

 no doubt of the advantage of using steam for fishing boats, 

 there has been great difficulty in keeping the attendant 

 expenses within due limits. The system is indeed still in 

 only partial operation, but enough has been done to show 

 that its more general adoption is only a question of time. 

 For many years steam vessels have been employed as 

 " carriers," collecting the fish from the fleets of trawlers in 

 the North Sea, and taking it to market. But experience 

 has shown that time and labour can be profitably saved by 

 applying steam to the actual fishing vessels. It enables 

 them to go to and return from their fishing grounds 

 quickly, and to work their nets independently of wind a 

 matter of the first importance in the light summer weather 

 which sometimes for days together keeps the sailing 

 trawler almost idle, and a large amount of time and labour 

 is saved bv the use of steam in hauling up the trawl. The 



