256 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



Another slightly heavier line— the meter— from "40 to 120 thread seine-twine," is 

 stretched along the seaming and secured with seizings at intervals of a yard. The 

 meter and seaming on one side of a net are usually together, about equal to from "60 



to 140 thread" line, according to the 





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exposure to storms at different fish- 

 ing-grounds, and the de])th of the 

 "water in which the nets are set. 



The seaming is for the purpose of 

 stretching the net, the meter for 

 strength, and the attachment on 

 one side of the stones, on the other 

 the floats. 



The floats are splinters of cedar, 

 thirty inches long and about one 

 and a fourth inches wide, and three- 

 eighths of an inch thick. The stone 

 is a small cobble-stone, weighing 

 r:i about one and a fourth pounds, 

 I notched on its edges to secure a 

 V, string. 



1^ Both floats and stones are taken 

 H off", when the nets are drawn up 

 "S from the lake. A few fishermen use 

 M gill-nets with perjuanent corks and 

 _M leads, similar to those used on seines. 

 f^ The mesh measured in its length, 

 S or when stretched so as to form two 

 % parallel lines, is barely from four and 

 ■^ one-fourth to five inches. The com- 

 t, monest size, formerly, was four and 

 % one-half inches, bat within a few 

 1, years nets with four and one- 

 ^ fourth inches mesh have been on the 

 jS increase. The gill-net captures a 

 g fish by entangling it in its meshes. 

 w In setting the nets, the stones and 

 s^ floats are tied on in the shanty, and 

 ;3 the nets, with the floats, are folded 

 .§ into bales on a tray, with the stones 

 g in another tray drawn up to the 

 t first. A "gang" of from eight to 

 S* thirty-six nets are put in the boat, 

 ^: with three lines arid two buoj's. 

 % After reaching the fishing-ground, 

 '?" in from eighteen to seventy fathoms 

 ""^ of water, a stone, weighing from 

 g fifty to seventy-five pounds, is tied 

 ^ on the ends of two lines, one a buoy 

 5 line and the other a stretcher. The 

 ^ stone is lowered to the bottom, when 

 fw a buoy is tied to the end of one line, 

 and the end of a net to the stretcher. 

 The boat is moved slowly ahead, 

 while the gang of nets is paid out, 

 one man throwiug the stones and 

 another the floats. The weights are 

 so closely balanced to the buoyancy 

 of the floats, that their points are 

 seen standing above water in a long 

 line astern, while they slowly sink. 

 When they come to the last net, a 

 line, with a stone attached, is tied 

 on and lowered to the bottom, and 

 to the upper end a buoy is fast- 

 ened. These buoys have a flag-stafl', 

 with the flag six or seven feet above 

 the surface. They guide the fishermen to the ends of the gang, and the two are often 

 a mile apart. , r. ^, 



Taking up the nets.— The nets are taken up by hauling in the lino until the cud ot tlie 

 net is readied, when they are drawn over a roller fixed in the bow of the boat— nets, 



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