CHAPTER IX 



PUBtlC FISHERIES FOR SHELLFISH 



THE fisheries for shellfish fall into two main groups ; those 

 for Crustacea, such as shrimps and lobsters ; and those 

 for mollusca, such as the cockle and mussel. As a general 

 rule, the former fishery is carried on mainly or exclusively from 

 boats of some description ; whereas the latter is practically in- 

 dependent of either sailing or rowing boats, which even when used, 

 are more for the purpose of locomotion and carriage, than for the 

 actual operation of fishing. One feature is common to all the shell- 

 fish fisheries, and that is they are carried on exclusively within the 

 territorial waters of these islands. 



Of the inshore methods of fishing shrimping is one of the most 

 important, as it gives employment to a large number of fishermen. 

 The shrimp frequents sandy or muddy grounds in shallow water 

 near the coast, it is fished for by boat fishermen, by fishermen- 

 farmers, who fish from carts, and by longshoremen and boys who 

 use push or stake nets (hose nets) . The Lancashire coast is especially 

 prolific of shrimps ; its shrimping fleet includes some of the finest 

 half -decked cutters to be met with anjrwhere. The men them- 

 selves are of a brave and sturdy type, whose precarious livelihood 

 involves a constant struggle with the elements. Two men usually 

 form the crew of one of these cutters, the net used is either the 

 trawl or the " shank." The shank is in many respects similar to 

 the trawl, but instead of a foot -rope it has a heavy wooden base. 

 The shank exercises a ploughing action on the bottom, in a fair 

 breeze is considered by many fishermen to be the more efficient 

 instrument. The great objection to shrimping is that it takes place 

 on the shallow sandy areas which are so much frequented by young 

 fish that they have been termed nurseries. Since in order to capture 

 so small a creature as the shrimp, the mesh of the net has to be 

 extremely small, it follows that small fish are captured, occasionally 

 in incredible numbers. The length of time the net is fishing is 

 generally from an hour to an hour and a half. Only one trawl net 

 is used at a time, but as many as four shank nets may be used 

 simultaneously. 



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