( '^4^i ) 



FISHING STATIONS. 



IRELAND. 



General decline in the number of fishing boats and fishermen — Discrepancy 

 in the returns by different authorities — Small proportion of regular fisher- 

 men — Decline of the fisheries on the west and north coasts — East coast 

 fisheries improving — General emigration from the west — Exposed coast 

 and bad weather, obstacles to fishing there — Continued distress said to be 

 the result of the famine in 1846 — Little apparent prospect of improve- 

 ment — Loans recommended by the fishery inspectors — Questionable 

 advantage of the system — Fishing only a small part of the occupation of 

 many of the fishermen — Unwillingn(!ss of the thriving Irish people to 

 help the fishermen — Mr. Whitworth's ofler of help — Dublin to Water- 

 ford — Prosperity of the Dublin trawlers — Scarcity of crews — Agree- 

 ments — Trawling grounds in the Irish Sea — Objection to the trawlers 

 by line fishermen — Restrictions on trawling — Skerries wherry — Dis- 

 appearance and temporary return of haddocks — Fishing yawls — Season 

 for herring fishery — Fish mostly sent to England — Arklow fisheries — 

 Wexford herring cots — Trawling at Waterford — Extraordinary regula- 

 tions — Nymph Bank a productive fishing ground — Native fishermen 

 and strangers — Frequent abundance of pilchards — Hake, sprats. 



The condition of the Irish sea fislieries, as represented 

 by the number of boats and men engaged in them, con- 

 trasts very unfavourably with what we find in either 

 England or Scotland. It is equally unsatisfactory 

 whether we compare their general state in 1872 with 

 that in previous years, or inquire how much occu- 

 pation they give to the fishing boats now on the 

 register. 



The statistics of the number of boats and men 

 employed in these fisheries are collected independently 

 by the Customs for the Board of Trade, under whose 

 direction they appear in the Annual Statement by the 

 Eegistrar-General of Shipping ; and by the Coastguard, 

 who procure the requisite information for the Inspectors 



