62 



measurement of 40 tons , and whilst the usual dimensions of 

 the trawlbeam are proportionally increased little scruple is 

 made of working at the depth of from 40 to 50 fathoms. The 

 form and nature of a trawl are represented and described in 

 Mr. YarrelFs History of British Fishes, vol. 1, p. 52, but those 

 used on the coast of Cornwall are of the largest size, and 

 more elaborately constructed than there figured. They are 

 employed at the distance of ten leagues from land, in water 

 of the depth of from fifty to sixty fathoms ; and as the method 

 of conducting this fishery is by dragging along at the stern of 

 the ship, the enormous bag termed the trawl, the weight of 

 the iron trawlheads causing it effectually to sweep the bottom 

 without any selection except as to the general nature of the 

 ground (the vessel being steered without the rudder, by fas- 

 tening the trawl warp to different parts of her stern, or quar- 

 ter) it can make but little difference what may be the size of the 

 mesh in that part of the net in which the fish are taken; since 

 the stones and weeds met with in its course must be sufficient 

 to close every crevice through which the smallest might be able 

 to pass. It is certain that every creature which may chance 

 to be dragged in this manner over a considerable space must 

 be killed ; and a large proportion of such as might otherwise- 

 find purchasers, are so bruised as to be unfit for food. When 

 we add to this the vast variety of creatures that form the sub- 

 sistance of the more valuable kinds, and in search of which 

 they visit our coasts — all involved in one common havock, 

 with the uprooting of their resting places and shelter ; little 

 doubt can be felt of the justice of the opinion entertained by 

 other fishermen, that much of the falling off of the success of 

 our fisheries on the west coast of England, is to be imputed 

 to the operation of the trawl. 



With such an impression of the hurtful nature of this kind 

 of fishing it may be demanded, why then is it suffered to con- 

 tinue ? In the first period of its employment the abundance 

 and cheapness of the fish thus brought to market led neces- 

 sarily to a favourable opinion concerning it, and thus prevented 

 a close enquiry into the remote consequences. In the present 

 day on the other hand, its existence has become mixed up 

 with the interests of too many poor families, to be lightly dealt 

 with; and it is of national importance to remember that few 

 occupations are better fitted to form a race of hardy sailors 

 and good pilots. 



A prospective remedy may indeed be anticipated in the fact 

 that the practice of trawl fishing as now carried on, must at 

 last destroy the foundation of its own prosperity ; but advant- 

 age to every party might be secured by positively forbidding 

 the working of a trawl for four months in the spring, including 

 those of February and May ; and leaving it to the already 



