20 
S/- must bo received per barrel of crabs and lobsters before the 
fisherman can get anything himself. 
Gear. — The crab pots are usually made with the “ eyes ” at the 
the side and alternate. The net is tarred but the wood is not 
protected. The nets, sails, and lines are preserved with tan. 
With reference to trout and salmon fishing, it may be added 
that the stake nets belonging to Sir William Crossman are used on 
the north side of the island, and trout fishing is prosecuted in the 
harbour but not very successfully, and no licence is required. 
There was a small attendance (12), probably because the weather 
was very stormy, at Berwick on this Saturday evening, when 1 
was obliged to make my visit a short one. The audience included 
Mr. Gray (chairman), the Fishery Officer for the Northern District 
of Northumberland, as well as the Scottish Fishery Officer for 
the Berwick district, and with their help 1 was able to get 
some very useful information bearing on the questions we are now 
considering. 
Trawlers occasionally visit Berwick, but only when weather 
compels them. The local boats occupied in the herring fishing 
were 11 at Berwick, 8 at Spittal — 14 in all. Strangers would 
bring the number up to about 50. The cobles engaged iu line and 
pot fishing are 15 at Berwick, 10 at Spittal ; this gives employment 
to some 100 fishermen altogether. About 20 years ago there were 
5 or 0 cobles more at Berwick and a corresponding number of men. 
The young men, it is said, are leaving the fishing for other 
industries. Instead of rather over 20 boats engaged in the line 
fishing 20 years ago at Berwick, there were only 8 boats last year. 
More and more of the cobles are in consequence being used in crab 
and lobster fishing. The crab and lobster fishing, as in other 
places, used to be engaged in from February to May, giving a rest 
to this particular kind of fishing, but those fishing all the year 
round are increasing in number year after year, because the line 
fishing is not worth prosecuting. Consequently a larger number of 
crabs are being caught, as is shown in the following numbers which 
were handed to me by Mr. Buglass, the Fishery Oficer for the 
Northern District of Northumberland : — 
Berwick, 80</< Sr/dembfr. 
Year. 
1896 
1896 
1897 
1898 
No. of Crabs. 
65,960 
269,085 
214,215 
831,149 
