GADID^. 273 



in the northern hemisphere. Cod fisheries, frequented by British fisheiinen, 

 exist to a greater or less extent from Iceland to the south coast of England, and 

 as far west as Newfoundland. They are largely carried on in these islands, 

 especially to the north and west of Scotland, and likewise off the maritime 

 counties of Ireland. But a detailed account of these fisheries, their rise and 

 their present condition, would require more space than the limits of the present 

 work would permit. 



Means of capture. — The cod, or white fishery, in which is here included the 



common cod, haddock, whiting, bib, pollack, coal-fish, ling, hake, torsk, and 



their family allies, is one of great national importance in several ways, more 



especially as the means of obtaining a large amount of good and wholesome 



food, as well as giving employment to fishermen and many traders. The 



members of the cod family are generally gregarious, and collect in large shoals 



at particular spots, and although in the following observations the common cod 



will be more especially mentioned, their fisheries are representative ones of what 



is likewise being carried on to secure other members of the family. The 



three forms which are perhaps the most valuable in an economic point of 



view are the common cod, Oadus morhua, haddock, G. ceglefinus, and whiting, 



G. merlangus. The common cod as a rule is in the best condition from the end 



of October to the beginning of February, the cold season being that in which 



members of this family attain the greatest perfection for the table, although 



some are employed for this purpose throughout the year. Living as the cod 



does, in water of from 25 to 150 fathoms, it is found feeding mostly near the 



ground on submerged banks, where it can obtain appropriate food. Being a 



voracious feeder the experienced fisherman takes advantage of its appetite, and 



vsdth long- or hand-lines, as well as nets, seeks his game in suitable localities. 



Long-lines or hulters (see Introduction) are employed up to at least seven miles 



in length, while the Norwegians also use trawl-lines and even nets. The baits 



used for the lines are various. Small fish, as lamperns, Petromyzon flnviatilis, 



sand launce, Ammodytes, herrings, Glupea liarengus, pilchards, G. pilchardiis, 



sprats, 0. sprattus, whelks or buckles as they are termed in Scotland where 



they are much approved of, due both to their toughness and attractiveness to 



the cod and ling : limpets, mussels, various Crustacea, and testacea, as well as 



lug-worms, and even the roe of the cod itself. These lines if slightly raised ofB 



the ground by floats, or buoyed at both ends, so that merely the middle portion 



rests on the ground, cause the bait to be less hidden by weeds, are better seen by 



the fish, and less consumed by crabs and star-fishes. The long-lines off our 



coasts are shot about slack water and heaved up in about six hours, when the 



tide has nearly finished. Sharks, dog-fishes, and porpoises are great enemies 



to this occupation, carrying away the hooked fish. Hand-lining (see Introduction) 



is used very similarly to long-lining, only employed by men fishing from boats, 



while it is most efficacious when cod are not at the bottom but rising more 



towards the surface, as when in pursuit of the herring, or other fishes. 



Whiffing, or surface line-fishing, and beam-traivling, are likewise employed for 



taking some members of the cod tamUj. 



The fish having been captured, the question for the fishermen is, if they shall 

 be killed at once and prepared in a suitable manner by means of ice or salt for 

 a near or distant market ; or whether they shall be retained alive by being kept 

 in appropriate places. Smacks with wells in them were first used in England at 

 Hawick, about A.d. 1712, said to have been copied from some Dutch fishing boats. 

 This well, as now made, is not simply a tank fitted into the smack, but a 

 constituent portion of the vessel itself. Two strong and water-tight bulkheads 

 are constructed across the width of the smack, enclosing a large portion of the 

 centre of the vessel, while they reach in height from the deck to the keelson. 

 Ijarge holes are bored through the sides of the smack below the water-line, 

 permitting a constant stream being kept up. Here cod captured at a moderate 

 depth will live for a considerable time, but should they or ling have been hooked 

 at a great depth they will not usually thrive. Rough weather is very detrimental 

 to fishes in welled smacks, occasioning many deaths. A plan is likewise adopted 



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