82 
The severe falling off in the catches at the beginning of the period 
in question is more strikingly shown when the figures for the total 
white fish are presented, as in diagram 1 of Chart 5, from the 
returns of the fishery officers. 
In another place I have given an historical account of the fisheries 
of Northumberland, but here it may be briefly stated that the modern 
diminution in the catches began about 1840-1850, just before the 
sailing trawlers from Hartlepool and Scarborough commenced to 
fish in the offshore waters of the coast of Northumberland. 
B. — North Shields. — North Shields was little known as a fish- 
ing centre, although its connexion with fishing dates from the 13th 
century, until in 1877 steam tugs commenced trawling from the 
port. A screw trawler was introduced in 1879, and this class ol 
boat increased rapidly in numbers. The first otter trawl was intro- 
duced in 1895, and the beam trawl soon became a thing of the past. 
About five tugs continue trawling from North Shields, using, how- 
ever, otter trawls. The progress of this port during this period of 
its history is shown by the following statement which I have pre- 
pared from the returns furnished for the information of the Cor-* 
poration by the quay master, Mr. McKenzie (page 86). 
VL— PROTECTION. 
This review of the white fisheries of the district has shown that 
the smaller ports have gradually declined since about the middle of 
last century, and particularly in the last 25 years, during the period 
in fact which has witnessed the rise of North Shields to the position 
of a first-class port, through the developments in steam trawling and 
lining. In this period there has been at the smaller ports a rise in 
the crab fishing. 
The diminution began in fact with the modern development of 
sea fisheries, even before sailing and subsequently steam trawling 
added so much to the catching power. That it has been gradual 
may be gathered from comparative statements from time to time as 
to the catches on certain grounds, and with regard to our own dis- 
trict on well known areas within and immediately without it. 
The appeal which has been made to statistics shows that even 
so recently as from and before 1895 to about 1900, a considerable 
falling off took place in the catches of the inshore fishermen, since 
when a slight improvement is shown to have occurred. It is 
admitted that the diminution is due to some extent to the fishermen 
