376 DEEP-SEA FISHING. 



Irish fishermen on account of the oiliness of the fish 

 which they say injures their nets, but this is a very 

 trifling difficulty, and can be easily removed by the use 

 of the proper materials for preserving them, as in Corn- 

 wall. The fact of such an objection having been made, 

 however, shows that something more than money is re- 

 quired to induce these fishermen to work heartily at the 

 fisheries within their reach. A good deal of ignorance 

 and prejudice has to be overcome ; and credit is due to 

 the Irish Inspectors for their endeavours to deal with the 

 first by ascertaining and giving instructions about the 

 manner in which the Cornishmen fish for and cure 

 the pilchard ; but we have less hope of their being able 

 to persuade the Irish generally that the pilchard is as 

 desirable an article of food as it is considered in Corn- 

 wall. 



The Kinsale hookers were at one time famous among 

 Irish fishing smacks ; they were from 30 to 40 feet 

 over all, with good beam and a great depth of body, 

 and well calculated for knocking about in the rough 

 weather to which they were often exposed ; but a faster 

 and more generally useful style of boat has been intro- 

 duced of late years. 



Scans, trammels, and lines are used more or less along 

 this coast, and hake with various kinds of ordinary 

 line-fish are taken. Herrings also appear in consider- 

 able numbers at times, and are captured with the sean. 



The general fisheries in and about Bantry Bay have 

 been declining for many years, and there was a con- 

 siderable diminution in the number of boats and fisher- 

 men in 1872 compared with the returns for the previous 

 year. This is said to be mainly due to the emigration 

 which has been actively going on from this part of the 

 island. Bantry Bay is one of those localities to which 



