8 !) 
The line fishing is comparatively successful at Boulmer. Before 
the three-mile restriction was imposed, the trawlers kept “ Coquet 
Smooth pretty well clear of fish. It was a favourite ground, and 
is still, the fishermen allege, greatly poached upon. Now a large 
quantity of fish can be obtained there, but at a time — February and 
March — when one would naturally expect the haddocks, &c., to be 
further out spawning. Up to Christmas there are not many fish on 
this ground, but after Christmas to the end of February or the 
begining of March they arc as plentiful as ever. The white 
fishing on the whole, in spite of this, however, lias been reduced. 
With three lines of 1,200 hooks each, 20 to 00 stones could be 
obtained of cod, haddock, &c., within the ken of some of those 
present. Now, with the same number of hooks, the catch is 12 to 
20 stones. 
The crab fishing takes place from the beginning of March until 
June, as a rule, so that the great destruction of soft crabs com- 
plained of elsewhere is avoided here. It is keeping very steady. 
Lobsters, however, appear to have been more numerous in the past. 
Brats (tiu’bot) used to be caught very freely, but they are now 
much less numerous. 
The herring fishing, as in other places, was very successful. 
There is only one herring boat ; but the cobles joined in the fishing 
on Crastcr Smooth three to five miles out, and did splendidly. 
There are eight or nine cobles at work in the winter. Seven or 
eight of these were in use at the herring fishing. There are thus 
some 27 fishermen at Boulmer. Ten years ago there were 13 cobles. 
As in other places, the men find that the railway carriage runs 
away with a large share of the profits. This is increased, of course, 
by their distance from the railway, the cartage costing Gd. per 
barrel. 
