n6 BRITISH FISHERIES 



Philip II. of Spain agreed to pay 1000 per year 

 for the privilege of fishing off the north coast. In 

 1650, again, Sweden, in return for certain services 

 rendered to England, was permitted to send 100 

 vessels to take part in the fishing in Irish waters. 1 



There is unfortunately little doubt that, in 

 many instances at least, the development of the 

 Irish fisheries was intentionally discouraged by 

 the English Government. During the Common- 

 wealth, various petitions were presented to Parlia- 

 ment, praying that the Irish fisheries might be 

 discouraged in some way, because of the injury 

 which the competition of the fishermen there 

 was inflicting on the trade of England, especially 

 with Spain and the Straits. One such sup- 

 plication stated that sometimes as many as 200 

 vessels from Holland, France, and England might 

 be seen at Wexford, taking cargoes of fish from 

 Irish fishermen. If this continued, the petition 

 stated, it would be folly to catch herrings in 

 the English Channel, since the cost of a barrel 

 of this fish there was double what it would be 

 at Wexford. Apparently this request was com- 

 plied with, for according to Prendergast, 2 the 

 Irish fishermen were to a great extent exter- 



1 See Report on the Coast and Deep-sea Fisheries of Ireland, by the 

 Royal Commissioners on Irish Oyster Fisheries, 1870; also a rather 

 scarce pamphlet by J. A. Blake, entitled The Present Position of the Sea- 

 Fisheries in Ireland, and how they may be made to afford Increased 

 Food and Employment (133 pp. ; Citizen Office, Waterford, 1868). 



2 Cromwellian Settlement of Ireland, 1865. 



