28 
Herring Fishing. — The decrease in the number of boats has 
already been pointed out. The Holy Island fishermen say that 
trawlers are to blame for breaking up schools of herring, disturbing 
old spawning grounds, besides interfering with the net fishermen by 
taking possession of the ground. The fishermen are thus obliged 
often to launch their nets in places they would certainly not put 
them if they had a choice. 
Haddock Fishing. — The haddock ground is five to seven miles off 
Emmanuel Head, in 40 fathoms. Ten to twelve stones a day were 
got, including, as well as cod and ling, halibut and skate. Now 
they are so scarce that, at certain seasons at least, the fishermen 
are obliged to send to Shields and Aberdeen for bait for their creels 
— line fishing not furnishing a sufficient quantity. 
Bait. — In consideration of one shilling a year paid to the Earl of 
Tankerville each fisherman can obtain as much bait off the Fenham 
Slakes as he requires. Lord Tankerville’s part of the slakes is that 
south of the Foulworth Burn, and it is the habit of the fishermen to 
remove the mussels in the young condition from the ground to the 
north of that burn belonging to C. J. Leyland, Esq., of Haggerston 
Castle, to the Tankerville ground where they grow better to bait 
size. The fishermen on their part aid in protecting the oyster scaup 
near the Beacon Point. The mussels grow on the slakes so well 
naturally that I have no hesitation in recommending that the pro- 
prietors should be approached with a view to making experiments 
as to the possibility of increasing the supply. The fishermen at 
Holy Island would not object to this, nor to a bye-law being passed 
for regulating and protecting the bait supply, if the privilege that 
they have so long enjoyed were not interfered with. 
Marketing Facilities. — Complaint was made that the North 
Eastern Railway charged too high for carriage. Large centres 
enjoy greater privileges, and also consigners who send in large 
quantities. When the fishermen send for bait to Aberdeen or Shields 
more is charged for rate than the value of the fish. The charge 
from Aberdeen is 2/G to Berwick, and for the same quantity 2/G is 
charged from Berwick to Beal (8 stone lots). They were of opinion 
that bait ought to be charged at a low rate because it was meant to 
catch crabs and lobsters which would again be sent away by rail, 
it is only four years ago that this practice of sending away for bait 
was adopted from the middle of March till the middle of May. 
During this period the bait cannot be procured locally. As a rule, 
