TRAWLING. 35 



> the trawl be then in proper position, with the back 

 uppermost and the ground-rope below, more sail is put 

 on the vessel ; the two ropes fastened to the ends of 

 the beam are slowly and evenly paid out till the 

 shackle joining them to the trawl-warp is reached ; 

 then the warp itself is steadily given out, and the 

 trawl is allowed to sink to the bottom. 



It will hardly be necessary to point out why the 

 vessel should be moving through the water when the 

 trawl is being lowered. It will be obvious that if the 

 apparatus is to reach the bottom with the trawl irons 

 under the beam, and the lower part of the net and the 

 ground-rope in their proper position below, no risk 

 must be run of the net turning round or twisting as it 

 is being lowered. There would be great danger of 

 this happening, if the vessel were not moving ; the net 

 would in such a case hang perpendicularly, and the 

 beam would be almost certain to twist round, so that it 

 would be a mere matter of chance whether the upper 

 or under side of the net and beam would be the first 

 to reach the bottom. If, however, as I have de- 

 scribed, the net be got into proper position when at 

 the surface, and the vessel be slowly sailed along, the 

 net is then towed after it, and as the warp is given out, 

 the net gradually sinks without changing its position, 

 until at last it reaches the ground. Of course, expe- 

 rience teaches the fishermen how to regulate the speed 

 of the vessel, and the rate at which the warp should be 

 given out, so as to ensure just sufficient strain on the 

 trawl to keep it steady whilst it is going down. These 

 are matters which none but the practical fisherman 



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