334 CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY OF THE HERRING-FISHERY. 



out for herrings before the whole fleet is ready ; and the 

 consequence is, that although there may be a shoal of 

 herrings in the bay, no crew, however enterprising, dare 

 venture out until it pleases the Lords of the Claddagh to 

 say the fleet is ready. In last August, when I was at 

 Galway, I heard that a boat's crew, more daring than the 

 rest, had ventured out one night before the Jieet, and 

 caught a good many herrings, and when the boat came 

 in, the people on shore attacked the boat, and destroyed 

 both it and the nets. This was authenticated by the 

 sworn testimony of one of the Claddagh men themselves 

 at the late investigation. It is only by a quiet, resolute 

 determination, and pointing out their error, that these 

 prejudices will be overcome, and this I have experienced 

 from the few interviews I have had with them ; and I 

 believe, that if they were taken in hands determinedly, 

 and the man of enterprise amongst them protected and 

 supported, eventually their prejudices might be con- 

 quered, and the navy well supplied out of their ranks by 

 fine hardy seamen." 



We have no doubt, from careful observation, not only 

 at Galway but also in other quarters, that beam trawling 

 is injurious to the herring shoals, and may diminish, or 

 utterly destroy, the annual visits, as they are easily scared 

 away. For instance, so soon as a herring shoal spawns, 

 thither the various kinds of flat fish assemble, and the beam 

 trawls following, these tear up and annihilate the spawn 

 in large quantities, and the herrings may cease to return. 



As it was found that there were considerable facilities 

 on the West Coast to enable the contraveners of the law 

 to dispose of the herrings or fry during close-time, a new 

 Act was passed on the 1st August 1861, the 24th and 25tli 

 Victoria, c. 72, enacting — 



