256 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



Another slightly heavier line— the meter— from "40 to 120 thread seine-twine," is 

 stretched along the seaming and secured with seizings at intervals of a yard. The 

 meter and seaming on one side of a net are usually together, about equal to from "60 

 , to 140 thread" line, according to the 



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exposure to storms at different fish- 



f] ^ ^ ' ' I ' . ' ' ' Sll ing-grounds, and the depth of the 



| | M | I II Willi water in which the nets are set. 



I | | I I | J in' The seaming is for the purpose of 



stretching the net, the meter for 

 strength, and the attachment on 

 one side of the stones, on the other 

 the floats. 



The floats are splinters of cedar, 

 thirty inches long and about one 

 and a fourth inches wide, and three- 

 eighths of an inch thick. The stone 

 is a small cobble-stone, weighing 

 about one and a fourth pounds, 

 notched on its edges to sesure a 

 string. 



Both floats and stones are taken 

 off, when the nets are drawn up 

 from the lake. A few fishermen use 

 gill-nets with permanent corks and 

 leads, similar to those used on seines. 



The mesh measured in its length, 

 or when stretched so as to 1 form two 

 parallel lines, is barely from four and 

 one-fourth to five inches. The com- 

 monest size, formerly, was four and 

 one-half inches, but within a few 

 years nets with four and one- 

 fourth inches mesh have been on the 

 increase. The gill-net captures a 

 fish by entangling it in its meshes. 



In setting the nets, the stones and 

 floats are tied on in the shanty, and 

 *! £ the nets, with the floats, are folded 

 into bales on a tray, with the stones 

 in another tray drawn up to the 

 first. A "gang" of from eight to 

 thirty-six nets are put in the boat, 

 with three lines and two buoys. 

 After reaching the fishing-ground, 

 in from eighteen to seventy fathoms 

 of water, a stone, weighing from 

 fifty to seventy-five pounds, is tied 

 on the ends of two lines, one a buoy 

 line and the other a stretcher. The 

 stone is lowered to the bottom, when 

 a buoy is tied to the end of one line, 

 and the end of a net to the stretcher. 

 The boat is moved slowly ahead, 

 while the gang of nets is paid out, 

 one man throwing the stones and 

 another the floats. The weights are 

 so closely balanced to the buoyancy 

 of the floats, that their points are 

 seen standing above water in a long 

 line astern, while they slowly sink. 

 When they come to the last net, a 

 line, with a stone attached, is tied 

 on and lowered to the bottom, and 

 to the upper end a buoy is fast- 

 ened. These buoys have a flag-staff, 

 with the flag sii or seven feet above 

 They guide the fishermen to the ends of the gang, and the two are often 



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the surface. 

 a mile apart. 



Taking up the nets.— The nets are taken up by hauling in the line until the end of the 

 net is reached, wheff they are drawn over a roller fixed in the bow of the boat— nets, 



