THE MACKEREL FISHERY. 
183 
in West of England. On East Coast for short time fishing sets in, 
but very irregular ; of a very superior quality, and very rich. This 
is generally termed Midsummer voyage. August. — Off Plymouth, 
inshore fishing. September. — East Coast for five weeks, when a 
considerable quantity is generally secured. October. — Occasionally 
Mounts Bay and off St. Ives ; not a regular fishing. 
I have already said that mackerel are considered a very wandering 
tribe, and that their visits to our shores are very uncertain. This 
holds good rather in connection with the fishing going on at present 
off our own coast. For instance, during last week good fishing 
(comparatively) took place on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday 
nights, but on Saturday it fell off considerably. On Monday of 
this week twelve boats landed from 4000 down to 1000 per boat. 
A very large fleet went off on the same ground on Monday night, 
and the result was that the majority of the boats had not a single 
fish, and the remainder only very few per boat. 
The wind had been prevailing north-east to north during the 
few good nights' fishing. On Monday, however, the barometer 
began to fall, and during Monday night it came on stormy weather, 
with the wind south-east. With this shift of wind away went the 
fish. The question is, Where, and why 1 My own opinion is that 
the fish went down in deeper water because their food went down 
first. 
I have said that off the East Coast a very respectable fleet of 
boats fish from Lowestoft during September and part of October, 
and that considerable quantities have been caught from year to 
year. The result of 1887 was something like £27,000. The 
proceeds of 1888, however, were not more than £2000; in fact, an 
almost complete failure. It is noteworthy that during the month 
north-east winds prevailed, the temperature being very cold, and 
the fish did not strike the shore. Probably they passed by the 
coast on to Eamsgate, their usual course far off the shore in deep 
water. 
During May, north-west of the Land's End 60 to 100 miles, 
fish are always found in green water. In getting into this ground 
different coloured water will be passed ; but so sure as the green 
water is met with, fish are there. The interesting point here is, 
What causes the water to be green ? and why are fish found there 
with such certainty ? Food again, I feel certain, is at the bottom 
of this. 
