( 329 ) 



PORTUGAL. 



(For Plan, see p. 92.) 



THE maritime portion of the continent of this Kingdom is divided into three Departments, 

 in all of which fishing is more or less carried on, but it is an industry which at the present 

 time cannot be considered as in a very flourishing condition. 



There does not now exist in Portugal what is known as deep-sea fishing, that is fishing 

 practised beyond the maritime limits, and that commonly called coast fishing tends to deceive, 

 as it is known that this fishery has no limits determined by the extent of the shore, and when 

 carried on at some distance from land it is termed deep-sea fishing. We have also to deal with 

 fishing in rivers up to the point where they join the salt waters. 



Both fresh and salt water fishing are divided into two large groups according to the means 

 employed in the capture, viz., net-fishing and fishing with lines. The first-named, undoubtedly 

 the most important, is again subdivided into two classes, fishing with fixed nets and trawling ; 

 either carried on from land or at sea within walled enclosures. 



Besides the means adopted in catching the moving species, there exists what may consti- 

 tute a third group, which is, however, insignificant. 



At this point we will proceed to a rapid review of the manner in which the fishing 

 industry is carried on in the three Departments and the sub-districts. 



Department of the North. 



This comprises the shore from the river Minho to the left bank of the Mondego. It con- 

 sists of five districts, viz.: 1.- Caminha, 2. Vianna de Castello, 3. Porto, 4. Figueira, 

 5. Aveiro. 



1. Caminha. In this district, which comprises the townships of Caminha, Villa .Nova de 

 Cerveira, Valen9a, and Moncao ; the industry is divided into two branches, coast fishing and 

 river fishing. On the coast are caught whiting and other coarse fish, sturgeon, and sardines ; 

 in the rivers, lampreys, salmon and shad. The appliances used in coast fishing are the nets 

 called Volanta (of gauze and with narrow meshes), Zangirelho, Vallo, and Sardinheira (for 

 sardines), for river fishing, those designated Lampreeira (for catching Lampreys), Tresmalho, 

 (Trammel), and Algerife. Lines too are made use of, and hooks, on a smaller scale, and 

 another net, similar to the Vallo, for catching young sturgeon and smaller fish. With 

 the exception of a small section of the town of Caminha, the people who carry on this 

 industry are not fishermen properly so-called, but artizans of various kinds and labourers, 

 and only a small portion of the inhabitants keep to fishing to the exclusion of all other pursuits. 

 The season for fishing in the Minho is restricted to the months of January to June, but on the 

 coasts is carried on whenever circumstances are favourable. The vessels used for fishing 

 purposes at Caminha may be stated approximately at one hundred and twelve, twenty of which 

 are employed both on the coast and river, and the remainder on the river exclusively while 

 the season lasts. In the three remaining townships the fishing boats are about equal in 

 number to those at Caminha. 



2. Vianna de Castello. This district consists of the townships of Vianna and Ponte de 

 Lima. In this district likewise the fishing industry is divided into two branches, coast fishing 

 and river fishing. On the coast are taken whiting and coarse fish, also sardines, and in the 

 river lampreys and lobsters. The mode of capture is by nets (names not given), but other 

 apparatus are used for taking lampreys. The take of this district is all consumed locally. 

 The embarkations number one hundred and six, forty being small vessels for river fishing, 

 forty-four for sardine catching, and twenty-two larger ones for catching whiting. The 

 number of men employed may be stated at about five hundred. The industry is carried on all 

 the year round, the eardine appearing in greatest quantities from May to December, while 

 river fishing takes up the months of February, March, and April. 



3. Porto. This district comprises the townships of Porto, Villa do Conde, Villa Nova de 

 Gaya, and Amarante. Fishery on the coast (in deep water) consists of whiting, congers, safio 



