62 

Year. 1902, 1903. 1904. 1905. 1906. 1907. 1908. 
May, June and July 7,500 11,600 32,500 18,400 33.400 41,700 51,600 
Summer als ... 16,400 11,900 36,000 19.600 35,3000 44,900 64,500 
Nota =e. 250 see 29.900 23,500 68,500 38,000 68,700 86,600 116,100 
1909. 1910. 1911. 1912. 1913. 1914, 
102,400 38,300 22,600 7,790 11,200 20;800 
159,600 130,000 98,100 22,200 18,400 41,200 

262,060 168,300 120,700 29,900 29,600 62,000 
The data given have been supplied by the Department of 
Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland, and are for 
the ports of Donegal, from Killybegs to Lough Swilly, the minor 
ports being omitted. The early summer shoals, May, June and 
July were landed chiefly at Buncrana and Downings Bay. The 
fishery varies considerably, and is governed to some extent by 
prices, weather conditions and the number of boats. In the 
summer fishery totals for 1902 and 1909 to 1911 the February 
catches are included, and 1912 to 1914 the September and October 
catches are included. ‘The May to July herrings are a little smaller 
than those caught in the same waters during the winter months. 
They are known as matties, and are called virgin fish in the trade. 
Last year Mr. G. P. Farran measured and scaled a sample of 
herrings from this fishery on 8th June at Downings, and the scales 
were forwarded to me for age determination. The year 1921 
was an exceptionally poor year, and the catches made from early 
summer shoals were so small as to make it impossible to classify 
the fishery other than a failure ; yet the high percentage of fish 
with three winter rings shows that here, as in other areas con- 
sidered, fish of this age are of greatest importance in summer 
shoals. The age composition of the sample was as follows + — 
Winter Rings. 2) 3 4 5 6 74 8 9 10 
Percentages ... Sate 2 32 16 6 8 16 7 2 1 
It is possible therefore from trade descriptions and the data 
above to account for the greatly increased catches of 1909, and to 
say they were due to the very rich year-class of 1906. 
There are two coincidences in connexion with this year-class 
which are worthy of note. 
