180 
the fishing boats on the coast for a similar period was 24,887 
cwts. Moreover, included in the catch of the trawler were 
over 56,000 Soles, a fish practically absent from the catches 
of the ordinary fishing boats. Subsequent to this discovery, 
the survey was continued to find out the extent of the fishing 
ground, an essential matter in the question of the possible 
development of the industry. It was found that the area 
was large enough to justify the publication of details in order 
to induce private companies to follow up the work. No 
difficulty was experienced in this, and steam trawlers from 
South Africa and from Grimsby were soon at work on the 
new fishing grounds; the result being that the fish supply 
to South Africa was more than doubled. The average annual 
catch of Cape fishes was about 100,000 cwts., and jn the year 
1913 that of the three trawlers, working from Cape Town 
alone, in the new fishing areas was 125,000 cwts. There are 
eight trawlers now at work. 
The results attained were so far satisfactory and sufficient 
to meet the immeditae demands of the country. There were, 
however, still large areas unexamined, and as it was the 
intention to complete the survey, the necessary steps were 
taken to continue the work. A period of financial depression, 
however, set in about this time, and it was considered necessary 
to suspend the work, more especially as it was thought that the 
results attained were sufficient, for a time at least. 
It is now about twelve years since the survey was suspended, 
and the industry has developed to a large extent on the lines 
laid down. The increased and regular supply has, however, 
as is usually the case, led to an increased demand, while the 
older inshore fishing grounds have become less productive. 
In fact, there have been several occasions of recent years 
in which practically the only supply of fish for Cape Town 
has been from the trawlers, and, as a rule, the demand. for 
the ordinary food fish is now greater than the supply. 
As already indicated, there are extensive areas which have 
not been explored, and, from information received irom 
various quarters, there appears to be large supplies of fish 
on these grounds. Thus the whalers, who have sometimes 
to proceed some considerable distance to sea to such areas, 
have reported that they have seen fish there in enormous 
numbers. It has even been stated that Cod are to be found 
far to sea, and, though this is very doubtful, it is a fact that 
the resources of the seas beyond the areas explored are entirely 
unknown. 
It is unfortunate that not only the exploratory work was 
suspended for financial reasons, but also the collection of 
fishery statistics, which had up to that time been procured 
with sufficient accuracy to indicate the lines along which 
progress was being made. But there is good reason for 


