Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-25
TRAVELLING FOR FISH
EXTENT OF BRITISH INDUSTRY
IN THE NORTH SEA.
Steam Vessels Engaged in the Traffic
The Kind of Net That
is Used.

The damage done the British fishing fleet
and the loss of life incident thereto caused
by firing on the part of the Russian Baltic
feet calls attention to the fact that trawl-
ing for fish in the North sea is one of Great
Britain's greatest industries. In fact, it is
said that fully one-half of the product of
the fisheries of the isles comes from the
trawlers.
The trawling vessels are run by steam
and are equipped for stay of weeks at a
time at sea. On board of many of them
there is a refrigerating plant for caring for
the fish that are caught from haul to haul.
They are manned with crews picked from
the best of English fishermen, hardy men,
who are physically able to stand the hard
work incumbent upon those who take up
this strenuous occupati ton.
Such of the ships as are not equipped
with refrigerating plants cruise from one
part of the North sea to another. taking
the catches to the larger vessels and off
again for their fishing ground.
Practically an Infant Industry.
TRAVELLING in English waters is practical
ly an infant industry, and it is but COM
paratively recently that steam vessels were
engaged in the traffic. AS late as 1862 the
trawler, completely equipped for service,
cost about 5000. and barely thousand
of them could be found in English waters
The Introduction of the refrigerating YES
sci and the refrigerating car gave impetus
to the industry it was found that the
great English population could be given
fresh fish without stint. AS a result of
TINS, IN 1919. the total money value of the
traWllng industry was about $13,GoJ,OOO.
Then came the change of motive power
ana steam vessels were substituted for
sailing ones in the traffic. This innova ton
rapidly reduced the cost of trawling and
incidentally enlarged the output of the
HShlng grounds because it was far easier
10 get from one point to another with
headway of steam and without having to
depend upon varying winds.
IL is IN the southern portion of the North
sea that most of the trawling is now done,
and in the past twenty-five years those en-
gagged in the traffic have increased four
fold
From Plymouth the trawlers have been
IN the habit of going to sea each morning
ana returning at night with their catches
put from Hull, where the Inflated fleet
fred upon by the Russians belonged the
traWlers remain at sea for weeks and
months at time, sending the result of
their catches in by the larger refrigerating
vessels. Hull now heads the list of ira WI
ing stations, and while fifty years ago not
more than a dozen boats hailed from that
port, today the number reaches into thou
sands.
The Kind of Net Used
These fishermen use for trawling pur-
poses purse-shaped net which is triangu-
lar ana nat. 1t has a wide mouth which
Is kept open by a horizontal SPAR known
as the beam" The nets are of very large
size and are handled by means of steam
engines aboard the vessels When if is
desired to make a haul the nets are low
cred into the water and are allowed to re-
main FOR several hours while the vessel
steams ahead at a rapid rate The vessel
runs through schools of fish and thew are
swept into the net at a great rate. While
the weight of the net increases as IT fills
win nsh the meshes are of such strength
that they seldom if ever give away.
Handling the catch is hard work. and the
work OF asserting the fish, which is done
by hand, is very firing and exacting.