PROTECTION OF DEEP SEA FISHERIES. 349 



all coasts where the ground is fit for the purpose. The 

 following are the principal fish caught by this means : soles, Fish caught 



on various 



turbot, plaice, haddocks, cod, ling, conger-eels, whitings, coasts, 

 dabs, brill, halibut, red mullet. Trawling is chiefly pro- Trawl, 

 secuted in the North Sea, in a smaller degree in the 

 English Channel, also in the Irish Sea and St. George's 

 Channel, there being about 250 trawlers on these coasts, 

 very slightly on the east or west coasts of Scotland, and 

 hardly at all on the north-east coast of England till the 

 year 1877, when, as before mentioned, steam-tugs were 

 obliged to take up trawling. It has turned out so well that 

 at the present time over fifty tugs are constantly engaged in 

 trawling from Hartlepool as far as the Coquet Island, which 

 have caused much ill-feeling between themselves and the 

 line fishermen on this coast by trawling over the lines, and 

 thus causing a loss of lines which was previously unknown. 



Herrings are caught on nearly every part of the east and Herrings, 

 west Scotch coasts all the year round, for bait at least, but East and West 

 there are special seasons when the large shoals appear in a Scotland 

 matured state. Off Ballantrae, on the west coast, the prin- 

 cipal fishing is from January to March. The great fishery in 

 the Minch is carried on from about the middle of May to 

 the beginning of July. The east coast fishing commences 

 about the middle of July and continues till the middle of 

 September. 



Sprats are caught on these coasts from November to 

 January, with very little difference. 



Cod, ling, hake, haddocks and skate are taken with lines 

 all the year round on these coasts. 



Herrings are taken between Berwick and the Humber Berwick to 

 from June to September ; the remainder of the year, with 

 the exception of the steam tug trawlers, is devoted to line 

 fishing. In September mackerel are caught on this coast. 



