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MANX FISHERIES. 



UP to 1868, when the Sea Fisheries Act was passed, 

 the fisheries of the Isle of Man came under the notice 

 of the Fishery Board of Scotland, and the annual 

 statistics published by the Board included some account 

 of what had been done by the Manxmen. This has 

 come to an end, and the only official information now 

 given to the public about the fisheries of the island, is 

 that relating to the number of boats and men engaged 

 in them. 



The most important fishery on that coast is for 

 herrings, and Castletown, Port St. Mary, Port Erin 

 and Peel are the stations immediately connected with 

 it. It is carried on entirely with drift nets, and usually 

 commences early in June. The fish are at first mostly 

 taken at a little north of Peel, on the western side of 

 the island, and thence southwards to the Calf of Man 

 as the season advances. It is continued along this 

 part of the coast and a little south of the Calf until 

 the end of September, when the fish are believed to 

 spawn on the rough ground in that neighbourhood. 

 The great herring fishery is therefore confined to the 

 southern half of the western side of the island. In 

 October, however, herrings are found in Douglas Bay, 

 where there is good reason to believe they spawn. 



