

TRAWLING. 25 



The use of the beam is to extend the mouth of the 

 net ; but in order to allow room for the fish to enter, 

 the beam, and with it the back of the net, must be 

 raised a certain distance from the ground. For this 

 purpose, the beam is fastened at each end to the top of 

 an iron frame, shaped something like an irregularly 

 formed stirrup, which is fitted to it at right angles by 



Fig. 2. 



Trawl-head. 



a square socket at the top. By these " heads or irons " 

 the beam is raised nearly three feet from the ground, 

 and, contrary to the very popular idea, never touches 

 the bottom. It could do so, only if the trawl were to 

 reach the ground with its back undermost, and then 

 the mouth of the net would close and no fish could 

 enter. The lower part of the trawl-head or iron is 

 straight and flat, just like the corresponding part of a 

 stirrup. It is called the " shoe," and is the part which 

 slides over the ground, as the trawl-net and beam are 

 towed along. There is some slight variation in the 

 shape of the irons used on different parts of the coast, but 



