Scientific American Supplement, No. 421, January 26, 1884Various
Science
Scientific American Supplement, No. 421, January 26, 1884
Various
Science -- Periodicals
winter and spring, 9 to 12 miles off the coast. They are caught by
hook and line in two ways. The first is worth describing. A line 50
fathoms long has bent to it snoods with hooks attached, 16 in. apart.
Each man handles three lines. On reaching the fishing ground the line,
to the end of which a stone is attached, is gradually paid out until
soundings are taken; then another stone is attached and the operation
repeated. If a bite is felt the line is slacked away freely, and this
goes on until about 500 fathoms are overboard. When, by the lively and
continuous jerking of the line, the fisherman concludes that he has a
good number of fish on the hooks, he will haul aboard and then prepare
to shoot again.
The second method of taking the bream is by long lining; fifty of the
lines we have just described being bent together and duly anchored and
buoyed. Spaniards do not much care for this way of fishing, as it is
costly in bait and the gear is often lost in bad weather. Bream sells
at about 31/2d. a pound. Cod are taken during the first six months of
the year, about 9 miles off shore, by hand lines. Sold fresh the price
is about 6_d._ per lb. A small quantity is preserved in tins. Anchovy or
cuttlefish is the bait used; sometimes the two are placed on one hook.
A smaller description of boat, called traineras, is built especially
for taking sardine and anchovy, although in fine weather they often
engage in the same fishery as the larger boats. The traineras are
light and shapely vessels, with a graceful sheer and curved stem and
stern posts. The keel is much cambered, and the bottom is flat and has
considerable hollow. The usual dimensions vary between: Length, 38
feet to 42 feet; beam, 7 feet to 7 feet 6 inches; depth, 2 feet 6
inches to 2 feet 10 inches. The sails and gear are much the same as in
the larger boats, excepting that there are only four shifts in place
of six. The largest main lug has an area of about 90 square yards and
the fore lug about 50 square yards. The other sails for heavier
weather are naturally smaller. The largest masts for fine weather are
respectively 36 feet and 22 feet, long. The average cost of one of
these boats and gear is about L122, made up as follows: Hull, L32;
sails, gear, and oars, L30; nets and gear attached, L60. The season
for anchovy fishing commences on the 1st of March and ends 30th of
June; it begins again on the 15th of September, and continues until
the end of the year. Most fish are taken at a distance of about 9
miles from the land, although they often come in much closer.
Anchovies are sold fresh, or are salted to be sent away, some are used
for bait, and in times of great plenty quantities are put on the land
for manure. The greater part are, however, preserved in barrels or
tins, and are exported to France or England.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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