of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



205 



Shrimp-Trawling in the Thames. 



This industry — to take an example of the region reached by traversing 

 Canvey Island and trawling towards Tilbury Fort — is carried on by boats 

 about 32 feet in length and 11 in breadth at the widest part, but only 

 6 feet at the stern. The usual crew consist of two men and a boy. The 

 trawl is about 14 feet in length of beam, and the mesh of the net is small. 

 The trawl-ropes are fixed separately to the side of the boat a little behind 

 the middle, and the direction of the boat is such that the trawl is carried 

 across the current. The trawl is kept down for about two or three hours, 

 and when pulled up, the contents are turned out on deck (near the stern) 

 by loosening the end of the bag. They are lifted by one of the men into 

 a sieve of the regulation size and shaken, and he also passes his hand 

 frequently over them from side to side. The small examples fall on deck, 

 while he picks out the prawns, young fishes, anemones, and other unsale- 

 able animals. He then transfers the sieve to his comrade, or empties it 

 on deck so as to form a heap. The latter (comrade) and the boy pick out 

 the prawns more carefully, and the man taking a measure, places the shrimps 

 in the boiler, which is filled with strong brine, indeed, on Saturday, so 

 strong as to float an egg. The water is very hot, and thus the shrimps 

 are quickly boiled ; it is said the more quickly the better. They are then 

 taken out by aid of a ring net with a \ inch mesh, and laid on netting to 

 dry, after which they are measured and placed in hampers for the London 

 markets. 



An average 'catch' of shrimps during a week is about 150 gallons, 

 the price obtained for which is <£3, 2s. Such a sum, it appears, 3delds 

 the three parties connected with the boat 19s. 7d. per share. Occa- 

 sionally a single ' catch ' yields from 30 to 40 gallons of shrimps, but it 

 is variable. 



Amongst the shrimps brought on board by the trawl are great numbers 

 of young food-fishes, such as soles, plaice, dabs, common flounders, young 

 bibs (whiting pout), and whitings, besides father-lashers, unctuous suckers, 

 and other forms. The destruction of young fish-life must be very con- 

 siderable, unless great care be exercised, since the attacks are so constant. 

 It is true many of the flat fish will survive the attentions of the shrimpers, 

 but it is not always possible to avoid loss. 



Sprat- Fishing. 



The second kind of fishing is sprat and sparling fishing, both being 

 similar, and a modification of trawling. They are carried on in the estuary 

 of the Tay and various Scottish rivers by yawls or other boats which are 

 fixed by chain and anchor, the bow pointing up stream. The usual 

 length of the beam of the trawl is about 20 feet, and both the top and 

 the bottom of the net are furnished with one. The upper beam is fixed to 

 the bowsprit, and the net is hollowed for the reception of the boat behind 

 the beam. The distance between the upper and the lower beam is usually 

 about 24 feet. From the beams the net, which has the shape of a trawl-net, 

 but of fine cord, stretches backward as a huge pocket of about 90 yards 

 in length. In front the net has meshes of about J inch from knot to 

 knot, while at the posterior or cod-end it is only \ inch. This huge 

 apparatus is then so placed that the current sweeps everything into it, 

 and it is sometimes so full that it has to be emptied piecemeal by aid of 

 the small boat.* In former times the sprat-net was only about half the 

 length, and made of much heavier cord, with wider meshes. 



* The net, anchor, and trawl-ropes cost about £25. The fitting of a yawl for the 

 work is attended with an expenditure of about £50. 



