348 DEEP-SEA FISHING. 



tlie Coastguard sj^eak of tlic feeling in favour of emi- 

 gration being still so strong in certain districts, that, 

 even if the men could find constant emplojment in fish- 

 ing at home, they would not remain there were they 

 provided with the means of leaving the country. Under 

 these circumstances we must not look forward to any 

 early improvement in the Irish sea fisheries generally, 

 although there are now many important aids to their de- 

 velopment which did not exist in former times. Among 

 these we may mention greater facilities, Loth by rail 

 and steamers, for transporting the fish to market, and 

 the increased demand and consequent higher prices paid 

 for the fish. These considerations, of course, are of 

 most importance where a constant supply of fish can be 

 obtained, and therefore do not equally apply to all parts 

 of the Irish coast. 



The apparent diminution in the number of Irish fish- 

 ing boats since 1871, taking the figures given by the 

 Inspectors, is as much as 1185, or more than one-ninth 

 within a year ; but an examination of the returns for the 

 two years, 1871 and 1872, shows the decline not to have 

 been uniform around the coast, and that while on the 

 north and west the diminution has been considerable, a 

 general increase has taken place on the eastern and 

 southern portions. There are several reasons why there 

 should be a difference, under any circumstances, between 

 the condition of the fisheries on the two sides of the 

 island. On the east or south all kinds of fish may be 

 obtained according to the season, and with tolerable re- 

 gularity every year. The weather there does not offer 

 any remarkable impediment to the fisheries being 

 worked ; markets are at hand or within easy reach by 

 rail or steamer ; and during the herring and mackerel 

 seasons an example of industry, which cannot be with- 



