346 INTERNATIONAL LAWS FOR THE 



The top or upper part, the lower part or ground, the two 

 side triangle pieces to form the mouth, known in some 

 parts as the wings or gorings, and the long narrow part 

 known as the cod end, which is made in two pieces, the 

 upper and ground. These pieces are afterwards laced 

 and hitched together, attached to the ground rope and 

 beam, and the net is then ready for use. 



The size of a trawl-net varies according to the size of 

 the vessel for which it is intended. They are used with 

 beams from 25 to 50 feet in length by deep sea trawlers, 

 40 feet being about the average length. Trawl-nets as 

 used by the Belgians, Dutch and French are all similar in 

 principle, and no good will be effected by describing all 

 the minor differences. One may be mentioned, and that is, 

 that the mesh of their trawl-nets is as a rule considerably 

 smaller than that of our vessels. There is no law which 

 regulates the size of the mesh or construction of this net, 

 consequently many immature fish are destroyed which, if a 

 means of escape were provided, would increase in size and 

 benefit both the fishermen and the consumers. 



Herring nets. The herring net simply consists of an oblong sheet of lint, 

 or net made of cotton, attached by twisted pieces of twine 

 about 6 inches long, and known as norsels, to a double 

 net-rope. Along the net-rope, at intervals, pieces of cork, 

 measuring about 6 inches by 4 inches, are inserted, so that 

 when the net is shot for fishing the lint sinks and depends 

 from the net-rope, which is buoyed up by the corks inserted 

 along it. Thus it drifts with the tide in a perpendicular 

 position. In some cases a rope is put along the bottom of 

 the net parallel with the net-rope, and sometimes weighted 

 with lead or stones. This is for the purpose of causing the 

 net to hang more steadily in the water, and is of more especial 

 use in cases where the tide is strong and the lint light, as the 



