FISHING STATIONS— IRELAND. 363 



some time in June, but the boats are not in full work 

 till July. From that time till the end of September, or 

 sometinjes far into October, drift-fishing is followed up 

 in some part of the Irish Sea, the boats gradually 

 decreasing in number as the season advances, and many 

 of the Cornishmen leaving in August in order to take 

 part in the pilchard fishing on their own coast. 



There is very little curing done in Ireland, although 

 several attempts have been made at Howth, and some- 

 thing is still being done there; but a large proportion 

 of the herrings caught on the east coast is shipped fresh 

 by steamers to England, and finds a ready sale in the 

 inland towns. Any scarcity in the supply of fish in 

 the Irish markets is, therefore, not entirely due to the 

 comparatively small extent of the Irish fisheries. The 

 wholesale buyers can do a more profitable business by 

 sending their purchases across the Channel, even with 

 the additional cost of transport, than by selling the fish 

 in Ireland ; and this applies, not only to herrings and 

 mackerel, but also, though to a less extent, to other 

 kinds of sea fish. At the same time cured fish of 

 various kinds are imported from Scotland and our 

 North American Colonies; there were 24,000 barrels 

 of Scotch-cured herrings sent to Ireland in 1872, and 

 double that number in 1 87 1. 



At Arklow, which is included in the Dublin Customs 

 district, there is an important oyster fishery, the beds 

 mostly lying in 10 or 12 fathoms water, at varying 

 distances from the shore, and extending almost con- 

 tinuously to the Wexford banks. Large numbers of 

 the oysters obtained here are carried away to be laid 

 down at Beaumaris and on the beds, at the mouth of 

 the Thames. The herring fishery from Arklow begins 

 in June, but only lasts a short time ; and the boats 



