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All sorts of netting contrivances ranging from small fyke nets 

 to miniature fish traps are set in the streams. At the entrance 

 of Town Brook, Plymouth, an almost perfect fish weir except 

 for absence of a leader is used. The size of the stream in gen- 

 eral regulates the size of the trap. Before the alewives reach 

 the rivers in the spring they are taken in the salt-water traps 

 with other fish, sometimes in appreciable numbers, much to 

 the disgust of the holders of the fishing privileges on the streams. 

 If these traps are situated at or near the outlets of alewife 

 streams in such manner as to obstruct the run, their presence 

 constitutes a menace to the fishery. 



On Taunton and North rivers, seining privileges are sold by 

 the various towns to the highest bidder, under various stipula- 

 tions as to size of seines, location and time of operating. On 

 the Taunton River thirteen seining privileges are divided among 

 the riparian towns, but in most cases permission is given the 

 purchaser to operate at any point on the river. In recent 

 years the value of these privileges has seriously declined, and 

 at present several are not in use. An important part of the 

 voluminous legislation on Taunton River alewife fishery is con- 

 cerned with restrictions as to the maximum length of seine, 

 time of purchase, selection of locations, and establishment of 

 prohibited areas. 



This method of capture employs the common drag seine, 

 which is played out from the stern of a skiff with one end at- 

 tached to the shore. After the seine has been set, the skiff is 

 swung back to shore, which explains the legal restriction that 

 the length of the seine should not reach across the stream. 

 The seine is then pulled upon the shore, and the fish removed. 



Foreign Methods. — In Scotland the sea herring is taken by 

 seining and by drift or set gill netting, each method having its 

 own advocates. The success of either evidently depends upon 

 the locality and the conditions under which it is used. The 

 purse seine has the advantage of being used without a landing 

 place, and does not interfere with other nets, allowing a larger 

 catch with fewer nets. Usually these seines are 150 to 180 

 yards long and 20 fathoms deep, and are operated from the 

 boats with crews ^of four men each. A mesh of 33 to 35 per 

 yard is said to capture small unsalable fish. The drift nets 



