Trawling for Herring on the Coasts of Scotland. 119 
jects of our investigations, it may now be useful to make a brief 
summary of the results :-— 
iE 
2. 
10. 
11. 
Drift-net fishing has been long pursued in this country, as 
the chief method for the capture of herring. 
Drift-nets must have a mesh of not less than one inch from 
knot to knot (48 Geo. III., c. 110, s. 12). In conse- 
quence of this regulation, herring fry cannot be caught by 
this system of fishing. 
. The amount of capital required by the crew of a drift-net 
boat is considerable. The price of the boat varies, accord- 
ing to its size, from L.20 to L.100 or upwards, and the 
value of the nets may be equal to that of the boat. 
. The system of seining (improperly called ‘ trawling’) for 
herring was introduced on the West Coast in 1838, but 
did not become general till 1846. Its operations are 
chiefly confined to Loch Fyne and its neighbourhood. 
. The system of seining requires much less capital than that 
of fishing by drift nets. The cost of each trawl skiff is 
about L.15, two skiffs being used in fishing, and the 
cost of the seine net is from L.15 to L.20. 
. The practice of using the seine net for herring was ren- 
dered illegal in 1851, by the Act 14 and 15 Vict., 
ce, 26. 
. Under special circumstances, the risk of a rupture of the 
peace being imminent, the Government, but not at the 
instigation of the Fishery Board, obtained in 1860 in- 
creased powers for the repression of trawling by the Act 
of 23 and 24 Vict., c. 92, and stil] further powers in 1861, 
by the Act 24 and 25 Vict., c. 72. 
. These Acts have been effective as means of repression, 
and seining for herring is scarcely now practised on the 
West Coast of Scotland. 
. The Act of 1860 established a close time, during which 
herring are not allowed to be taken. This close time is 
limited to the West Coast of Scotland, and is fixed from 
the lst January to 3lst May as far as Point Ardnamur- 
chan, and from thence to Cape Wrath from 1st January 
to 20th May. 
There is no close time on the East Coast of Scotland; but 
the Fishery Board, by the Act of 1860, have power to 
introduce one, —a power which we recbmmend should be 
withdrawn. | 
The curers of herring and the drift-net fishermen approve 
of the operation of these repressive Acts, asserting that 
the method of fishing with the seine destroy ed the supply 
