Ill 



appeared to apply chiefly to the in-shore fisheries. " The 

 English trawlers, who are well appointed, and fish the deep 

 waters, make no complaint. Mr. Bartlett, on the contrary, 

 acknowledges a steady profit of 30 per cent, on his outlay." 

 The famous Nymph Bank, off the Waterford coast, was affirmed 

 to yield white fish in inexhaustible quantity. Scarcity was con- 

 fined to the bays and in-shore fisheries, to which the operations 

 of the fishermen, owing to their poverty, and insufficient gear, 

 were chiefly confined. 



A similar fact prevailed with respect to the herring fishery ; 

 while the shoals were said to be less abundant than formerly, 

 they were always found in the open sea during the season, and 

 boats which stood out into the deep water returned laden. 



CONDITION OF THE FISHERMEN. " In 1830, when the estab- 

 lishment was dissolved which had been formed by Govern- 

 ment in 1819, for promoting the Irish Fisheries, similar to that 

 created for the Scotch Fisheries in 1808, and still maintained, 

 there were around the coast of Ireland, 64,771 fishermen, and 

 13,119 fishing-boats. In 1836 there are, according to a care- 

 fully revised enumeration, made by the officers of the coast 

 guard, only 54,119 fishermen, and 10,761 boats. This decrease 

 of 10,652 in the number of persons occupied in supplying fish 

 for the markets of an increasing population, occurring so sud- 

 denly, while the consumption of all other domestic supplies has 

 been considerably augmented, and in a period during which the 

 markets of Liverpool and Manchester have largely increased 

 the demand on the industry of Irish fishers, is a lamentable fact, 

 too plainly indicative of much local suffering. It appears, how- 

 ever, that at the appointment of the late Fishery Board, the 

 total fishing population of Ireland amounted to but 36,000, and 

 that during the short course of its activity, the numbers in- 

 creased to nearly the double. Hence it may be inferred, that 

 the subsequent falling off, must, in part at least, be a result of 

 some previous excess of stimulation ; and that the bounties had 

 indeed drawn more persons to this branch of industry, than in 

 the then condition of the country were really enabled to sup- 

 port themselves by its exercise without Government aid." 



" On the social habits of fishermen, the Commissioners are 

 unwilling to hazard much remark. Like the Irish peasant, the 

 fisherman is enterprising and industrious whenever a prospect 

 of reward is held out ; and the man who voluntarily seeks his 

 living on the sea, cannot be wanting in aptitude for labour, 

 courage, or perseverance against adverse circumstances. The 

 emigrants from the Island of Arran are reported to earn a com- 

 fortable livelihood by fishing at New York and Boston ; thereby 

 proving their general qualification for the business when duly 

 encouraged. As to honesty, the Irish fisherman is considered 



