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reason for knowing that what is sent is not always an honest return. 
When bait is got from Boston, the railway charge is very heavy. 
Gear — The twine for the crab pots is cutclied and tarred; 
tiie openings are at the side ; the wood is unprotected. The lines 
are also cutched and tarred. The herring nets and brat nets are 
preserved with catch. 
Sea Houses, 14/// October. 
Mr. King was chairman over a meeting of 15 fishermen. In his 
opening remarks he referred to a meeting which took place at the 
end of last year to consider the subject of the decline of the fisheries, 
lie kindly handed me the following resumi of what took place at 
that meeting : — 
Meeting held December :10th, 18!)8, to consider the present 
aspect of the in-shore fishery (by cobles) — present, Sir Edward Grey, 
Bart., M.P., and others. 
The fishermen present were firmly of opinion that trawling 
caused great destruction of small and immature fish, besides break- 
ing up the rearing and feeding grounds. 
Of late years haddocks, the main staple of our white fishing, 
have fallen off greatly. From 1880 to 1885, from October to 
Christmas, cobles made as much as from £70 to £100, this year £15 
may be set down as the average earnings in the same period. 
It was also definitely stated that trawling, even outside the three 
mile limit, interfered with successful herring fishing unless trawlers 
lifted their gear when close to boats having herring nets shot. The 
usual distance that cobles go to sea before shooting their lines is 
hereabouts from 7 to 10 miles from the shore. 
It was also considered that the present three mile limit was 
utterly useless so far as our in-shore fishermen were concerned; from 
8 to 10 miles seemed a fair thing. The prevalent opinion was, that 
having supreme authority, gun-boats would enforce the law as 
regards the present limit very much more effectually than any local 
force, and on conviction heavy penalties should be laid on the 
transgressors. 
Another matter was discussed ; it was shown that in-shore 
fishermen could not very much farther develop their present ways 
of fishing, whereas every year improvements are made in trawling, 
i.e., by length of beam, which means raking up more ground. In 
short, unless vigorous efforts are gone into, in our neighbourhood 
