FISHING STATIONS -IRELAND. 391 



are taken by hook, but are only fished for with nets 

 when they come within reach of the sean ; and ahliough 

 there must often be little doubt about their being in the 

 bay, they do not always approach those parts of it where 

 they can be caught by the method now adopted. 



Trawling is carried on only by a few small craft, but 

 a greater stimulus to this mode of fishing has been 

 lately given by the removal of some of the restrictions 

 to it in the bay. 



Hake are taken here in trammels as well as by the 

 hook. 



The chief fishing on the northern coast of the bay 

 as well as outside at Teelin and away northwards, is 

 by longlines and handlines, but especially the former. 

 Turbot and the best kinds of round-fish are taken in 

 some numbers according to the season. It is worthy of 

 note that haddocks are plentiful on the outer coast 

 although they have been very scarce for some years in 

 Donegal Bay. They disappeared from there rather 

 suddenly, and it is not contended in this case that trawl- 

 ing was the cause of it ; for although some years ago 

 that mode of fishing met with so much objection that the 

 Commissioners were induced to prohibit it, the haddocks 

 were abundant for some little time after all trawling 

 had ceased. Whiting are sometimes in vast numbers 

 in the bay. It is very difficult to speak with any degree 

 of certainty of the capabilities of Donegal Bay as a fish- 

 ing ground ; the poverty and doubtless to some extent 

 the ignorance of the fishermen have interfered with 

 justice being done to its fisheries ; but there is abundant 

 evidence that even under the present adverse circum- 

 stances a great quantity of fish of various kinds is taken. 

 Yet the fishermen continue to live merely from hand to 

 mouth, and subscriptions to provide some of them with 



