

42 FISHES AND PISHING INDUSTRIES OP TASMANIA. 



2. The Middle Grounds. — Within this division may be 



included those fishing reefs and banks lying in the 

 more exposed situations of estuaries — such as Wedge 

 Bay and Adventure Bay, in the Derwent— in depth of 

 water from five to six fathoms. In such localities the 

 grab-all net and ordinary hand-lines are used in the 

 capture of Native Salmon, Silver Bastard, Black and 

 Silver Perch, Carp, Eock Cod, Ling, Conger Eel, etc. 

 The indentations around the Eastern and Western 

 Coasts afford ample scope for following out the 

 industry within the limits of this division, especially 

 so in the many sheltered bays in the neighbourhood 

 of Port Davey and Macquarie Harbour. 



3. The Outer, or Open-sea Grounds. — These principally are 



situate in the southern and eastern waters of Tasmania,, 

 and generally from 1 to 16 miles off the coast, upon 

 coral banks or reefs 10 to 80 fathoms deep. The latter 

 depth is the limit at which Tasmanian fishermen have 

 been successful with deep sea-lines on the Trumpeter 

 banks. Towards the surface of these open waters the 

 Maori jig is principally used in the capture of the 

 Barracouta, and in the season the line, armed with 

 swivelled chain and stout barbless hook, is employed 

 in the capture of the rapacious but valuable Kingfish. 



The fishermen, as a class, are as a rule steady and 

 industrious, and although they do not seem to have any 

 special provision in the shape of Eriendly Societies or other 

 providential aids, distress is rare and poverty unheard of. 

 Beyond the provisions for acclimatisation and protection of 

 the European Salmonidffl, the establishment of Oyster beds 

 for breeding purposes, and certain reserves for the protection 

 of natural beds, the Government have also found it 

 necessary to provide measures for the limitation of the sale 

 of unwholesome or undersized fish, and for prescribing the 

 size of mesh for graball and seine nets. No graball can be 

 used in Tasmanian waters whose mesh is of any size, measured 

 diagonally, between 2i inches and 4 inches. 



The prescribed limits of undersized fish that may be taken. 

 or sold are : — 



Bastard 12 inches and over 



Ileal Trumpeter ... 



13 



Garfish 



8 



Bream 



10 



Flounders 



9 



Crayfish 



10 



