68 THE FISHERIES OF THE ADRIATIC, 



the fish next in order of importance are mackerel, Spanish mackerel, pelamid, 

 tunny, rays, &c. Tunny is caught in the channel of Cattaro, off Ragusa- 

 vecchia, in the Valle di Brenno, and above all in the Bocche False ; these 

 fisheries belong to Government, who farm them out. The oyster fisheries 

 at Stagno belong to the Commune of that place, and are farmed out for 

 twenty years at a time, in order that they may be worked on principles of 

 economy. 



The Italian fishermen are not tolerated on this coast by the native fisher- 

 men. The consequence is that the fish markets of Ragusa, Cattaro, and other 

 places are badly stocked With, prime fish, as the native fishermen enjoy a kind 

 of monopoly, and do not find it worth their while to engage in any other than 

 the principal fisheries above cited : moreover, the deep-sea fish, caught by the 

 Italian trawling-nets, are, as a rule, quite wanting, and fish often fetch fancy 

 prices in consequence. It is surprising how a whole population can allow itself 

 to be so treated by a greedy camora, particularly as the remedy is in their 

 own hands. 



Three-quarters of the yield are exported in the shape of salt fish, com- 

 prising tunny, pilchard, and other fishes ; two-thirds of which is sent to 

 Greece and one-third to Italy. The average export of salt sardines amounts 

 to about 10,000 barrels of 1 cwt. a piece, representing a value of about 

 ,£10,000. 



The principal fisheries of Dalmatia are carried on by the inhabitants of 

 the islands of Zuri, Lissa, Brazza, Lesina, Lagosta, and more especially by 

 those of Lissa and Lesina. The fishermen of Lesina, alone of their class in 

 the whole Empire, extend their operations beyond the limits of their native 

 waters. They carry on the pilchard fisheries with drift-nets on the coast of 

 Africa ; thirty-four boats are at present engaged in these fisheries, and each 

 boat carries twenty-four pieces {spedoni) of drift-net, each measuring eight 

 fathoms in depth, and ten fathoms in length. The catch averages about 

 10,000 barrels, which find a market in Italy and the Levant. 



SEASON OF FISHING. 

 Fishing is carried on, more or less, all the year round, with the exception 



