402 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
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and mud. These localities are noted for an abundance of flat fish, among 
which the pole flounder occurs in large numbers. He believes it would 
be entirely practicable to carry on beam- trawling in those waters, but 
thinks it would be necessary to have a steam capstan to get the gear up, ; 
The peculiar form of trawl-net which is used in the Mediterranean 
is successfully worked in the waters off the west coast of the United i 
States. 
Prof. David S. Jordan, who investigated the Pacific coast fisheries in 
1879-’80, writing of the Italian fishermen of San Francisco, Cal., says 
that in 1878 the <c paranzella ” was introduced in the fisheries of that 
port. The fishermen of other nationalities threatened to burn up these 
nets, and the boats used when the nets were employed. San Fran- 
cisco is the only place in this country where this style of fishing has 
been introduced. There were two antagonistic companies who used 
these nets; they have now consolidated and divide the profits equally. 
Each company has three boats and employs twelve or thirteen men, 
one of whom is constantly engaged in selling fish in the market. The 
stock is owned chiefly by men not actually engaged in fishing. This 
is divided irregularly, one man owning a net, another a boat, etc. Out 
of the gross profits are paid, first, the entire expenses, including pro- 
visions of the men, wear of the boats and nets, etc. The remainder is 
divided into shares, one share to each boat, one to each actual fisher- 
man, and one-half share to each net actually in use. In these two 
companies, there being six boats, two nets, and twenty-five men, the 
whole is divided into thirty-two shares. The captain sometimes re- 
ceived one and one fourth shares. 
I v.— POSSIBILITIES OF SUCCESSFULLY USING THE BEAM-TRAWL IN 
THE SEA FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 
So far as the ocean fisheries of the United States are concerned, more 
especially on the Atlantic coast, there is little probability that the beam- 
trawl will be employed for some time to come, chiefly for the following 
reasons : First, many parts of the fishing grounds, now most commonly 
frequented, are not suitable for beam-trawling, being too rough, and 
in many localities the water is too deep; 1 second, our most valuable 
ground fish — cod, haddock, halibut, etc. — occur in such abundance that 
far greater catches can generally be obtained with lines or gill-nets 
than it would be possible to get in a beam-trawl, and as bait can usually 
be obtained at a moderate outlay, the lack of this is not an inducement, 
as it is in Europe, to adopt beam-trawling; third, the flat fishes — 
several species of flounders, dabs, etc. — that occur off the east coast of 
1 Though, it is true that large tracts of the best fishing grounds are too rough for 
beam-trawling, it nevertheless is a fact that there are extensive areas where trawls 
can be used, and should this form of apparatus ever be introduced into the fisheries of 
the United States, no doubt it will be found that grounds now little frequented 
may prove unexpected store-houses of wealth, so far as fish life is concerned. 
