The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-10-12
ENeLAND's SEA HARVEST.
Nearly ss5,ooo,ooo Yielded Annually
 By Its Fisheries.

From the London Telegraph
 The sea yields us welath amounting to nearly seven millions sterling year. and yet comparatively little is heard of the fishing industry unless some such trouble as that which occurred last year at Grimsby crops up. It is a calling es- sentially British. requiring hardihood and courage in a high degree in those who follow it. According to the reports of the inspectors under the board of trade, just issued 31,593 men and boys find regular employment in sea fishing, and nearly 5000 others are occasionally engaged-a population of nearly 10000, which is afloat in all weathers, bringing to the great ports the food which is in proportion to its nutritive qualities cheaper than any other. Between these hardy sailors and the elements continuous war is being waged, and great is the toll which the sea demands each year. In 1901 1S9 lost their lives by wrecks or casualties, 38 by founderings strandings or collisions, 34 by falling or being washed overheard, and IT by being knocked or pulled into the sea by sails or tackle. How much con centrated anxiety of fathers, mothers wives and sweethearts, how much anxi- ous watching and final realization of loss Is summed up in the one steatement- missing boats. sixty-one lives lost Six ty-one men and lads sailed away during last year never to be heard of more. These lives were mostly lost during the month of November, when a most de- structive gale occurred about the middle of the month.
 If there is silent tragedy, there is also heroism much of it unchronicled, but the report tells of rewards given by the board of trade to plucky fishermen. Three who manned a small boat and rescued some comrades of the Cronje which had capsized off Holyhead, received los each, while three men and a boy of the Rams gate fishing smack Florence are said to have rescued with great difficulty and risk the crew of the bark Lanarkshire of Glasgow. which was abandoned in the North sea Each was given the silver gal lantry medal, and in addition a binocular glass went to the skipper e2 each to the second hand and apprentice and a3 to the third hand. Three Hull men who rescued a German crew were also promptly re- warded by Emperor Williams govern ment, the skipper receiving a gold watch. the second hand a10 and the third hand a5
 The fishing population at present re- mains stationary. but there are indica- tons that the trade is attracting far few CT lads than was the case a few years ago. In 1897 210 were registered; last year the number was only 150 At Grimsby in the former year 134 joined. while last year only 61 signed on, significant falling off, which is confirmed In other ports in less degree and points to the decreased popu- larity of sea fishing. which yields an un- certain income at best, and is insepara- ble from considerable danger More fish than ever was caught in 1901-S, 647, ,sO5 hundredwelght in all-but its value was less-it yielded only 96,S ,192-whereas the slightly smaller catch of 1900 resulted in a sum of almost e10O,OO0 more. Nearly the whole of this amount was received from "wet fish" the takings of shellhsh still continuing to decline; 3S.7 per cent of the total quantity of the wet variety was landed at Grimsby and Hull and 51.s per cent at twelve other ports on the east coast-North Shields, Hartlepool, Scar borough, Boston, Yarmouth. Lowestoft and London, 3,4s4,321 hundredweight On the south coast-Neyland Milford and Fleetwood-624,9 ,9S5 hundredweight
 The total number of steam trawlers has slightly decreased. but since the tonnage is maintained the change is rather in newer and larger vessels superseding older craft than in any actual falling off In the steam trawling industry of the country, taken as a whole. On the other hand, sailing trawlers continue to disap- pear, as the following figures of first class trawling boats show: