THE FISHING INDUSTRY OF THE WEST. 953 
THE FISHING INDUSTRY OF THE WEST OF 
ENGLAND. 
ABSTRACT OF LECTURE BY BENJAMIN RIDGE. 
(Read 26th November, 1885.) 
AFTER noting the high antiquity of the fishing industry of the 
West of England, and its great importance in connection with 
early and medieval Plymouth, the lecturer proceeded : 
It seems pretty clear that the means principally known and 
used in very early times for catching fish was by the Seine Net 
and a sort of Draw Net. Now, however, many methods are used, 
and almost every practical means known in England are employed 
by Western fishermen, except it be the Stow Net, used for sprat- 
catching, more especially off the Sussex coast. 
The principal methods are by the Trawl, Seine, Drift Net, Hook 
and Line (both hand and long line), Moored Nets and Traps, Set 
Nets, Trammels, Lobster and Crab Pots. 
The Seine Net historically is no doubt the most important of 
the series, and even to-day holds its own, though only used during 
certain times of the year, for mackerel, pilchards, and sprats. 
There is special legislative provision for pilchard-seining in St. 
Ives Bay. The seine is of very ingenious construction, and 
requires very expert handling to be successful in securing a good 
haul. The “school” have to be surrounded in order to secure 
them ; and such enormous quantities of pilchards have frequently 
been enslaved by the seine, that they have bolted, and carried 
away the net, finally bursting it and making good their escape. 
No less than 5,000 hogsheads have been taken at one haul, 
equivalent to 15,000,000 fish, or a weight, when cured and fit for 
exportation, of 1,000 tons. Pilchard and Mackerel Seines are 
each 200 fathoms in length, and 14 fathoms deep; but are not so 
