i8 THE SEA FISHERIES 



rope there was a blade of iron (AA). The whole frame consisted of 

 a bent piece of iron (AB, BA), attached to the warp by three iron 

 rods (AD, CD), of which two were fixed to the extremities and one 

 to the middle of the bottom iron bar. For strengthening purposes 

 there were cross-pieces of iron (G) running from the base to the top 

 of the frame and from the top of the frame to the middle of the iron 

 rods (AD, CD). The net itself was 5 or 6 fathoms long (HIK), to 

 protect it part of an Irish bullock's hide (LL) was attached on the 

 surface near the trawl-frame. This net was used in water from 

 7 to 8 fathoms deep, either by day or night and all the year round, 

 except during the mackerel season. When used from a sailing boat 

 it was customary to attach a small warp to the trawl-warp and carry 

 it to the opposite side of the ship to which the trawl-warp was 

 attached. Sometimes two of these nets were used simultaneously 

 from the same vessel. Usually the net was hauled after being 

 dragged for a quarter of a league, in order to clear the net which 

 was found to be full of seaweed, stones, oysters and other debris. 



The trawl is one of the most important implements of fishing. 

 The trawl-net may be described as a conical bag of netting dragged 

 along the bottom of the sea. Many people seem to think that a 

 sailing vessel or steamer is stationary whilst engaged in trawling, 

 but that is not the case. The vessel moves ahead at a slow rate of 

 speed, from two to six miles an hour, dragging the trawl astern. 

 There is evidence that British trawling originated in Devonshire, 

 most probably at Brixham. The old-fashioned type of trawl-net, 

 and that still used by smacks and cutters, was attached to a beam 

 of wood to either end of which a triangular iron frame was in turn 

 affixed. The upper end of the net is attached to a head-rope which 

 is laced up to the beam. The lower margin of the net is attached 

 to a much heavier rope, the foot -rope, which curves back widely 

 between the bases of the trawl-heads. When fishing, the whole 

 arrangement is dragged along by two ropes, the bridles, which are 

 in turn shackled to the single trawl warp leading to the vessel. In 

 the net itself there are traps or pockets which prevent, or at any 

 rate hinder, the egress of the fish. It is obvious from this descrip- 

 tion that the trawl will only capture such fish as live on or near the 

 sea bottom, and these are the demersal fish of the ofiicial returns. 

 In addition to fish, any other objects lying on the sea bottom are 

 captured by the trawl. For instance, star-fish and other inverte- 

 brates are frequently taken in great abundance. A small trawl 

 with a fine mesh is a favourite device for the capture of shrimps. 



Trawling for fish or shrimps from a small inshore cutter is generally 

 conducted on similar lines. If the vessel about to shoot the trawl 

 be on the starboard tack, the cod-end of the net is first thrown 



