of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



237 



It is quite clear that, in so far as steamers are concerned, cod-net 

 fishing is not nearly so remunerative as regular line-fishing, but it must 

 be remembered that the former is regarded by the participants merely 

 as a stop-gap during the interval between the winter and early 

 herring fishings. Were there no cod-net fishing, a few crews might 

 fit out their drifters for line-fishing, but ihe majority would embrace 

 the opportunity afforded by the lull in herring fishing to spend some 

 time at home. (These remarks, it must be understood, apply only to 

 the men of the Moray Firth.) As it is, cod-net fishing entails little 

 labour, while the men are absent from their homes for only so long as it 

 takes to make the short trip to the fishing ground, set the nets, and 

 return, so that the fishermen, with the minimum sacrifice of their annual 

 period of leisure, are able to add not inconsiderably to their earnings. 



The results brought out in the case of the small boats show that the 

 earnings at cod-net fishing compare quite favourably with those obtained 

 at line-fishing, and if the example of the Golspie men were followed, and 

 the two methods of fishing carried on simultaneously, it is probable that a 

 considerable increase in earnings would accrue. 



It should be pointed out, too, that cod-net fishing has not developed at 

 the expense of line-fishing for cod. The latter is carried on close inshore, 

 principally by means of the ripper, and the catches, which consist almost 

 entirely of codling, have not in any way been aff*ected by cod-net 

 fishing. The fish taken by nets are full-grown fish, about to spawn 

 and forms an absolute addition to the food supply. 



