OPENING ADDRESS. eae 11 
have probably increased in numbers since the passing of 
the Wild Birds Protection Act, or by all these combined, 
remains yet to be proved. There can be no question that 
Cormorants, which breed on the Ormes Heads and are 
now very numerous, destroy immense numbers of young 
fish both on the sea and in rivers. I have even seen one 
fishing on the Dee near Corwen. 
SHRIMP AND SHANK FISHERIES. 
These are of considerable importance to the fishermen 
of Parkgate who trawl for them both in the Dee and 
along the coast of Flintshire, sometimes perhaps going 
beyond the Voryd. As far as I know there are no Welsh 
boats in the district under consideration which trawl for 
shrimps, and not many perons who fish with hand-nets. 
The Common Shrimp (Crangon vulgaris) is generally 
taken in water so shallow as barely to float the boat and 
on sandy ground. Only the trawl is used, by which I 
mean a beam trawl similar in all respects, except size of 
mesh, to the fish trawl. 
The Shank (Pandalus annulicornis) is taken in the same 
manner, but on stony ground and generally in rather 
deeper water. They used to be very abundant on the bar 
of the Dee off Prestatyn. I have seen them swarming 
among the stones in Colwyn Bay, at low water of spring 
tides. A few true Prawns (Palemon serratus) are gener- 
ally taken with them. 
MussELs, CocKLEsS, &c. 
Mussels (Mytilus edulis). 
There is an important Mussel bed in Dawpool Deeps 
which is fished by the Parkgate men with long handled. 
rakes to which a net is attached. There was a smaller 
bed at the mouth of the Voryd, but I was informed this. 
