XXX BRITISH FISHERIES 



young unmarketable fishes) method of fishing 

 which commends itself to the Welsh maritime 

 population. 



Shell-fisheries. — But the shell-fisheries are by 

 far the most prolific of the inshore section of the 

 industry. The oyster, shrimp, and prawn fisheries 

 are carried on from sailing boats. For shrimps 

 and prawns a small trawl-net is used, in which 

 the meshes are about half an inch square ; such 

 a net may also be used in shallow water from a 

 horse and cart worked by a " farmer-fisherman." 

 Such methods of fishing necessarily involve the 

 destruction of an enormous number of small fishes 

 of all kinds, which are nearly always found in 

 association with shrimps. 



Oysters are taken by a dredge, which is practi- 

 cally a small trawl, except that the mouth of the 

 net is kept open by an iron frame, and the meshes 

 are made of strong cord or iron rings. 



Crabs and lobsters are taken in " pots " or 

 " creels " — wicker-work traps baited with frag- 

 ments of fresh or stinking fish ; they are moored 

 at the sea-bottom in suitable places, and " fished " 

 after an interval. 



Lastly, mussels, cockles, and periwinkles are mostly 

 collected by hand, though in places the former 

 molluscs are dredged or brought up by means 

 of a large rake. Whelks may be taken by hand 

 or in baited traps. These animals are, however, 

 used almost entirely as bait for long lines. 



