40 
Gear. — In the case of crab pots the openings are opposite and 
at the sides ; the net is tarred. The lines, sails, and herring nets 
are preserved with tan. 
Turbot nets are used in August and September. This year 40 
nets, in 4 fleets, only caught 1 to 3 turbot. Sixteen was the best 
catch, and that only once, the turbot averaging 7-8 lbs. Twenty- 
six years ago lfi nets in 2 fleets, captured 99 turbot as well 
as ling, cod, and skate. A fairly common catch 40 years ago was 
40-50 turbot. 
Herring Nets. — Fifty to fifty-five nets form a fleet now-a-days. 
Fourteen years ago there were only 1G to 18 in the fleet. 
Now. 30-40 Years ago. 
Length ... ... GO yards ... 50 yards 
Depth ... ... 18 score meshes 15 score meshes 
Position when fishing 3 fathoms down 2 fathoms down 
and inverted 
In the foregoing record of what passed at the conferences, I have, 
with very little alteration, presented the evidence in the way in which 
I received it. There is no doubt that the in-shore fisherman in his 
anxiety to run down his far too successful rival the trawler, lets 
himself run riot in some cases in regard to matter of fact. Where 
this was glaring, I have found myself drawing my pen through 
certain of my notes while transcribing them, but, on the whole, the 
reports give in considerable detail the matter as I have obtained it. 
Some of the points which stand out fairly prominently, and are 
doubtless based on fact, may now be shortly considered. 
First, the in-shore fisherman is not so well-off to-day as he was 
only a decade or tw r o ago. He needs more gear and catches 
relatively fewer fish with it. 
Second. In certain of the villages, and especially in those which 
are near to the large towns, the number of fishermen is decreasing. 
The younger men in such places are quitting the fishing for such 
other industries as are locally available. 
Third. The crab and lobster fishing, which was prosecuted 
with so much success from 30 years ago practically up to recent 
times, appears to be at the root of the difficulties. At one or two 
places, when the prices for crabs and lobsters were high, an 
increasing number of fishermen left the lino fishing and began 
what we might call the autumn crab fishing. This was at a time 
(about 1870) when trawling could not be blamed for compelling 
them to do so. The returns in price seemed to be more attractive 
