J. PISCICULTURE AND THE FISHERIES. 385 



J. PISCICULTURE AND THE FISHERIES. 



REPORT ON THE MARITIME FISHERIES OF FRANCE, 1874. 



The report on the maritime fisheries of France for the year 

 1874 has just been published, showing that their general 

 value amounted to about 73,000,000 francs, being nearly six 

 and a half millions less than in 1873. 



So far as the cod are concerned, there was a larger yield 

 than before, although there was a reduction of twenty-five 

 in the number of vessels in the fishing fleet. The herring- 

 fishery was much inferior, nearly half of the general deficit 

 relating: to this fish. Amona; the causes of this decrease are 

 named, first, a diminished demand for the fish ; second, the 

 later period at which the vessels started out for the fish- 

 eries ; and, third, the abundance of fruit in the maritime dis- 

 tricts, thus materially reducing the use of the herring. This 

 decreased demand is considered a circumstance to be regret- 

 ted, certain establishments which formerly consumed large 

 quantities of herring now dispensing with them, especially 

 in Alsace and Lorraine. There is no reason to believe that 

 the fish have become any scarcer, nor that the means at the 

 command of the fishermen are insufiicient to secure a much 

 larger yield ; in fact, the use of cotton for nets instead of 

 hemp, and improved apparatus generally, allow a greatly in- 

 creased percentage of captures in proportion to the number 

 of men. 



Improved methods in the preparation of the herring are 

 now strongly urged, so that an increasing demand may be 

 secured, and thus an important industry be maintained at its 

 utmost development. 



The sardine-fishery of 1874 was also much less than that 

 of previous years, in consequence of the diminished numbers 

 on the coast. 



Much satisfaction is expressed in the oflScial report at the 

 improvement in the department of oyster-culture, the pro- 

 duction of Arcaclion alone being nearly 82,000,000, or nearly 

 double that of 1873, with a corresponding reduction of near- 

 ly one half in price. 



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