148 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



circle-net fishing,) and fishing with small meshed nets and weirs in bays 

 and estuaries. 

 Trawling is alleged to be a wasteful and destructive mode of fishing — 



1. Because the whole, or the majority of the fish brought up in the 

 trawl, are dead, and so mucli damaged as to be unwholesome or other- 

 wise unfit for human food. 



2. Because the beam and net, dragging along the sea-bottom, tear up 

 or destroy the spawn of fish. 



3. Because the net brings up a vast quantity of the fry of fish, or of 

 fish so small as to be unsalable, which is all thrown back dead into 

 the water. 



4. Because, in consequence of the latter effects of trawling, all the 

 grounds over which the trawlers work are becoming rapidly exhausted; 

 so that not only are line-fishermen unable to obtain any fish there, but 

 the trawlers themselves are obliged to seek other localities, and are in 

 fact rapidly becoming ruined. 



1. The assertion that trawled fish is always, or commonly, brought up 

 not only dead, but so much damaged as to be unwholesome and unfit 

 for human food, has been made and strongly persisted in by several 

 witnesses ; but we feel bound to express our conviction that the state- 

 ment is incorrect, and, indeed, absurd. 



2. The statement that the beam and the net of the trawl dragging 

 along the ground tear up and destroy the spawn of fish, has not been 

 justified by the evidence adduced. Many of the unhesitating assertions 

 which have been made before us on this head, in fact, are only intelli- 

 gible upon the supposition that the witnesses were ignorant of the real 

 mode of working the trawl-net, and of the true nature of many of the 

 substances brought up by it. 



In conclusion, we are clearly of opinion — 



1. That fishing by the use of the beam-trawl is the source of by far 

 the greatest and most progressive supply of fish, other than herring, 

 to the principal markets of this country ; that certain descriptions of 

 fish, such as soles and plaice, could not be largely supplied by any other 

 mode of fishing; that it engages the largest capital, employs the most 

 numerous body of hardy fishermen, is the least under the control of the 

 weather, and obtains the greatest returns of fish for the labor and capi- 

 tal employed. 



2. That there is no reason to believe that trawling in the open sea 

 destroys the spawn of fish. 



3. That trawling in the open sea involves the capture of a certain 

 very variable proportion of small fish, which is wasted or not, according 

 to circumstances. 



4. That there is no evidence to show that trawling has permanently 

 diminished the supply of fish from any tra wring-ground, but that there 

 is proof to the contrary. , 



5. That trawling in the open sea has not interfered with the supply 

 of fish from line -fishermen ; unless it be by catching, in a more expedi- 

 tious and regular manner, fish which the line-fishermen might have 

 taken. 



6. That trawling in the open sea is not shown to be a wastefully- 

 destructive mode of fishing, but the contrary. 



7. That any legislative restriction upon trawling in the open sea 

 would result in a very great decrease in the supply of fish. 



