DRIFT-NET FISHING. 69 



consequence, not only to the fishermen of the locality, 

 but also to the Manxmen and some Cornishmen, who 

 resort to that neighbourhood at the proper season. 

 This fishery is much the same as on the south coast of 

 Cornwall, and lasts from March to June. 



The drift-fishery for pilchards may be said to be 

 practically confined to the Cornish coast ; for, although 

 many pilchards are annually caught along the south 

 coast of Devonshire, these fish are not by any means 

 abundant so far eastward, and, when they are taken 

 there, it is more frequently with the ground-sean than 

 by drifting. Pilchard fishing by drift-nets begins on 

 the Cornish coast in July, and is carried on till nearly 

 the end of the year. At first the fish are well out at 

 sea, but as the season advances they come so near the 

 land as to be within reach of the seans; and the 

 pilchard drift-boats are forbidden by law to fish within 

 half a mile of where the latter nets are being used. 

 This restriction is to prevent any interference with a 

 method of fishing which, if the pilchards are not dis- 

 turbed when close inshore, has frequently proved, and 

 may again in any year be, most successful and profit- 

 able. I may mention, that whilst most of the produce 

 of the drift fishery is bought up for home consumption, 

 the export trade in cured pilchards to the Mediterra- 

 nean, and which has been carried on for a very great 

 number of years, is almost dependent on the catches by 

 the sean. St. Ives has long been celebrated for its sean 

 fishery and export trade in cured pilchards ; and the 

 returns that I shall give farther on of these exports, and 

 their great fluctuations from year to year, will show 



