300 CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY OF THE HERRING-FISHERY. 



department, whose officers are instructed to do equal 

 justice, and afford to them assistance, advice, and pro- 

 tection." 



On the 16th February 1857, an order was issued pro- 

 hibiting the use of trawl nets in Belfast Lough, comprised 

 within a straight line drawn from the Castle of Carrick- 

 fergus, in the county thereof, to Rockput in the county 

 of Down, and directing that the taking of fish with trawl 

 nets shall not commence in any part of the Lough of 

 Belfast before the 1st April in each year, and shall cease 

 on the 1st December, and the rest of the year no trawl 

 nets to be used. 



The herring-fishery of Norway, in 1857, was consider- 

 able ; and it may be worth while describing the nature of 

 that fishery for the year, it being different, in many re- 

 spects, from that on our own shores ; and we shall take 

 the year 1857, of which we have particulars. 



The greatest fishing is in the winter, and the fishermen 

 are subjected to great dangers and privations ; the water 

 is remarkably clear, and the shoals are easily perceived, 

 but generally every season these herrings are pursued or 

 followed by numbers of whales and birds, w^hich, when 

 seen, are a sure indication of the approach of the herrings. 



That year the fishery began, 24th January, on the south 

 coast at Skudesnajs, and for about eight days there was a 

 very large drift net fishing. There were about 3000 small 

 boats present (manned by three or four fishermen), which 

 each took 15 to 30 barrels daily. Besides this mode of 

 fishing, there is another, which the abrupt nature of the 

 coast, and the absence of tides, give the facility of 

 I)ractising, which does not exist on our coasts, — namely, 

 " lock fishing." The nets employed in this mode are of 

 great strength and size, and are sometimes 120 to 160 



