THE HERRING FISHERY. 21 



oil as obtained from its liver. I mention this because I Harpooning 



the "shark" 



think that not only would it be profitable to pursue this recommended 



fishing at the present day, but it might help to rid the 



waters of one of the drift-net fisherman's worst enemies. 



It may be the scarcity of the fish was the cause of this 



fishing being discontinued, but its reappearance in greater 



numbers during the past ten or twelve years might warrant 



fishermen in turning their attention to the subject. It 



would not be difficult to harpoon these fishes, as they will 



remain on the surface a long time, allowing a boat to come 



up quite close to them before going down. 



Having just returned from Ballantrae (March 20, 1883), 

 I will add my experience of the year's fishing there. It Experience at 

 was the general opinion of all fishermen that there were Year 1883. 

 more herrings on the Ballantrae Banks than had been 

 there during any previous season in their experience. The 

 gales, however, in January and February were very much Gales in 

 against the fishing ; it was but seldom that boats could go ^^^ 

 to sea, and when they did get out it was only with the Drift-nets only 

 drift-net that boats did any good. I have explained before use ' 

 that the trawl boats have to be pulled with oars while 

 making a ring, and the drift-nets are run out in a straight 

 line before the wind, consequently there were very few 

 herrings landed, and prices ran as high as 5 per cran. p r ; ce 

 The ist of March brought a change for the better, and improvement 

 there were landed on one day seven thousand crans ; prices m u 

 ranging from i$s. to 2os. per cran, mostly trawled. Some 

 of our trawlers are engaged by an English firm to trawl Engagement 

 during the first two months of summer on any part 

 of the Irish coast from Innistrahull to Ardglass. They 

 are to be attended by steamers to take the herrings to 

 market. The trawl has never been used before in this 

 district for herring fishing. 



