the fisheries there are amongst the largest and most pro- 

 ductive in the United Kingdom, and that the insufficiency 

 of funds, and consequently of enterprise, and the absence 

 of proper accommodation, are alone to blame — that those 

 fisheries do not successfully compete with the largest 

 fisheries of the world. 



In this brief history it will be seen that the extracts con- 

 tained in it point to a curious but important conclusion, 

 and that is, that the haunts of mackerel and herring (so far 

 as the South of Ireland is concerned) do not change, as is 

 accepted by most authorities. 



And I am glad to state that the facts recorded in these 

 extracts conclusively prove the importance of the South of 

 Ireland for these fisheries, and a certainty of the best 

 results from fishing operations there. 



As far back as 1665 A.D., the fisheries of mackerel, her- 

 ring-, and pilchards were prosecuted at Kinsale with great 

 success. The boats and gear used by the Irish fishermen 

 at that time are not made particular mention of, although 

 there are records of enormous catches of fish by them. 

 But it is evident that, in point of size and completeness, the 

 nets and boats of the fishermen of other countries, and 

 notably of France, were much in advance of those used 

 by the Irish, and I am scarcely wTong when I state 

 here that the gear and general appliances of the French 

 mackerel fishers of that period, excepting steam, were not 

 inferior to those now used by our most scientific English, 

 Manx, or Irishmen, — and that unless in some unimportant 

 matters the improvements on the appliances of that time, 

 by our islanders, have aimed rather to imitate, more or 

 less, the plant of the French fishermen, than to make any 

 stride towards innovation or more completeness of system. 

 In making this statement you will of course understand 



