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men each, half-share or hired men eking out the number of local 
fishermen. 
Cobles. — Eleven boats with 4 men each now ; 30 years ago 
there were 8 men to the boat . 
The number of fishermen may be said not to have decreased. 
They are as numerous to-day as within recent times at anyrate. 
Herring Fishing. — July to near the end of September, all the 
boats working at Beadnel. 
Line Fishing. — October to February. There has been a gradual 
reduction in the number of boats engaged in line fishing during the 
last 12 years. At present there is only one boat at the haddock 
fishing, but others will go to obtain bait for their crab pots. In 
the month of April, however, they send to Shields and Aberdeen for 
bait, a sufficient quantity not being procurable locally. 
Crab and Lobster Fishing. — January to June was the regular 
season, but only one boat is making an attempt to observe to some 
extent this old rule. The others fish with creels all the year 
round practically, the herring season being the only interruption. 
Salmon and Trout Fishing. — April to September 1st ; no 
license is required. June is said to be the best month. The catch 
is mostly trout, but salmon and grilse are also got. The restriction 
of the close time is considered a hardship. 
Haddocks, &c. — Boats fishing with 4 lines of 1000 hooks each, 
baited with mussels or mussels and limpets, got last year 5 to G 
stones of codling and haddocks, other boats obtained very much 
less; 12-24 years ago a boat with 4000 hooks obtained 40-50 stones 
on the average, consisting mostly of haddocks, with cod, ling, a few 
halibut and skate. Some got 50-G0 stone, while 80-100 stone have 
been obtained exceptionally. 
Cod and ling are very scarce now, 8 ling was the best catch last 
year. Instead of 20 or 30 cod which used to be got in the above 
catches they are now very few indeed. Halibut are scarce also. 
Whitings were never common here. 
Plaice used to be obtained, but the fishermen say the trawlers 
have “cleared them out.” Three half-lines on the north bank would 
catch 30-40 stone of large plaice during February, March and 
April, but now-a-days when lines with 300-500 hooks are put down, 
very few fish indeed are obtained. Even plaice of a middling size, 
which used to be common, are now not to ho had. 
