188 FISH CULTURE. 



unquestioned, or, at least, unaltered when they are 

 made : consequently, as I have said, it is very much 

 from the bad laws made by Government, or the 

 want of that protection which they should receive 

 from the Government, that the unsatisfactory state of 

 our fisheries for the most part proceeds. 



In speaking further of the depression of the Irish 

 fisheries, Mr. Andrews says that the quantity of salt- 

 fish imported into Ireland yearly amounts to 1,200 

 tons, valued at 27,00OZ. ; the annual import of her- 

 rings at about 80,000 barrels, valued at 128,000/. ; 

 and this, too, at a time when the fisheries around the 

 Irish coasts are not only far more than equal to any 

 demand that can be made upon them, but, properly 

 worked, would also be inexhaustible. Mr. Andrews, in 

 his voyages from port to port and place to place in 

 pursuit of knowledge on fishery matters, frequently 

 mentions the fact of seeing immense shoals of pil- 

 chards and herrings weeks before they could be 

 attempted to be taken by the fishermen, owing to the 

 fact of the smallness of their boats and msufficiency 

 of their gear. He mentions other cases of foreign 

 craft loading with fine fish off the coast in a few days, 

 and sailing for their respective ports ; while there 

 was not a craft on the coast that could come into 

 competition with them, and the natives could but 



