FISH AND FISHERIES. 181 
The Long Reef grounds extend for a considerable distance seaward, 
and being distant only some 5 miles from Sydney Heads, these grounds 
have perhaps been more fished than any in the vicinity of Sydney, and 
have, it must be confessed, stood the strain on their resources in a 
remarkable manner. 
The ordinary varieties of fish seem most to frequent the feeding- 
grounds presented by this extensive backbone of rocks during the 
prevalence of southerly currents, and especially after light easterly 
weather. Fish are here most abundant during the summer months. 
At present the fishermen complain bitterly of the leather-jackets which 
infest these and other grounds near Sydney, and it is no doubt true that 
these execrable pests have been gradually increasing in numbers. 
Their habit is to lie between the surface and the bottom where the 
schnappers feed, and to gnaw off every bait, often with the snood too, 
as it descends. Their numbers do not seem to diminish, however many 
are caught, and the damage done in a single day to a fisherman’s gear 
has not seldom reached a far higher sum than the value of his freight 
of marketable fish. As food this fish is not appreciated, though it is by 
no means to be despised. The leather-jacket, however, has not the 
appearance of a food fish, and in this respect, like the cat-fish, owes 
much of his immunity to a rather repulsive exterior. 
Tt is said that some wide grounds have lately been found at a distance- 
of 10 miles or more from Long Reef Point, where in about 35 to 40: 
fathoms of water schnappers have been taken in large quantities. 
Between Long Reef ant the North Head the bottom is almost 
uniformly foul, and no good outer grounds excepting those off Deewhy- 
are found hereabout, at least for school fish. One may drop accidentally 
upon a few fish almost anywhere, but these constantly recurring 
patches of rocks appear to be barren of the small crustacea and other- 
food affected by schnappers, until we reach the line of reefs jutting out 
(under water) from North Head. This, like Long Reef, forms a series. 
of fishing-grounds for schnappers, with a reputation of long standing,. 
but they are not now much to be depended on. Occasionally a few 
boats may be seen (chiefly of the amateur fishing class) off these- 
grounds, and on the Pine-tree, the Cobbler’s ground, and others in the: 
vicinity, but the fish no longer frequent these places in payable: 
quantities. There was once a good fishing-ground lying about due east, 
and at a distance of about 3 miles from the Heads, but it is said that 
the mud-punts which here discharge the silt and harbour filth have quite 
disgusted the schnapper, whatever attractions they may have created 
for the “ leather-jackets. ” 
The next grounds resorted to by fishermen are off the Flagstaff, and 
off Mud Island (near the proposed outlet of the main sewer), and then 
passing a few others of less note we come to the celebrated Coogee 
fishing-grounds. These are situated at varying distances of 1 to 3 
yniles from a small rocky islet known as the “Island of Rocks,” and 
lying a short distance from the shore of Coogee Bay. Enormous 
freights of schnapper have been taken along this line of grounds, and 
fair quantities are still taken. This is a favourite fishing-ground for the 
various fishing clubs which pursue their recreation in steam launches 
and steam tugs, and by sheer force of numbers and the ease with which 
