SEA FISHERIES. 13 



those employed in any one kind of fishery. Under the 

 Sea Fisheries Act, 1868, all boats or vessels belonging 

 to the United Kingdom, of whatever size, and however 

 propelled or navigated, which are employed in sea 

 fishing for the purposes of sale, are obliged to be 

 registered at the Custom House, and to have their 

 port letter and number marked in a conspicuous 

 manner on their bows, and, where it can be done, on 

 their principal sail. For the better distinguishing of 

 harbour, coast, and deep-sea fishing boats, they are 

 divided into three classes, as follows : 



1st Class : Boats of fifteen tons burthen, and up- 

 wards. 



2nd Class : Boats of less than fifteen tons burthen, 

 navigated otherwise than by oars only. 



3rd Class : Boats navigated by oars only. 



The registering officer, however, has a discretion 

 allowed him to place in the third, instead of the 

 second class, any small fishing boat in which a sail is 

 occasionally used. This provision is very necessary 

 in the case of the Irish fishing boats, as a large pro- 

 portion of them are very small, and being used for 

 many purposes besides fishing, a sail of some kind is 

 often needed. This classification of our fishing boats 

 is quite an arbitrary one ; and, without local informa- 

 tion, it is impossible for anyone to ascertain for what 

 purpose the boats in any of the classes are used, or 

 whether there has been an increase or decrease in any 

 particular mode of fishing. For instance, the boats in 

 the first class, ranging from fifteen tons upwards, in- 

 clude all the deep-sea trawlers, which at the present 



