REPORT OF THE INSPECTORS OF IRISH FISHERIES ON THE SEA AND INLAND FISHERIES OF IRELAND, FOR 1888. Presented to Both Houses of Parliament by Command oh Her Majesty DUBLIN: PRINTED FOR HER MAJESTY’S STATIONERY OFFICE BY ALEXANDER THOM & CO. (Limited), And to be purchased, either directly or through any Bookseller, from Eyre and Spottiswoode, East Harding-street, Fetter-lane, E.C., or 32, Abingdon-street, Westminster, S.W.; or Adam and Charles Black, 6, North Bridge, Edinburgh ; or Hodges, Figgis, and Co., 104, Grafton-strect, Dublin. 1889, j-Q—5777.] Price Is. CONTENTS. Page. REPORT,..................................................................................................................................................... 5 APPENDIX,..................................................................................................................................................... 80 Appendix SEA AND OYSTER FISHERIES. No. 1. —Abstract of Returns from Coast Guard, ....... 80 2. —Statistics of Fish landed on the Irish Coast during the year 1888, .... 81 3. —By-Laws in force, .......... 82 4. —Oyster Licenses revoked, ......... 88 5. —Oyster Licenses in force, ......... 90 Irish Reproductive Loan Fund and Sea and Coast Fisheries Fund. 6. —Proceedings for the year 1888, and Total amount of Loans advanced, and Total Repayments under Irish Reproductive Loan Fund for thirteen years ending 31st December, 1888, 94 7. —Loans applied for and advanced under Sea and Coast Fisheries Fund for the year ending 31st December, 1888, .......... 94 8. —Amounts available and applied for, 1888, ... ... 95 9. —Total Amounts Advanced, the Total Repayments, the Amounts of Bonds or Promissory Notes given as Security, since Fund transferred in 1884 to be administered by Fishery Depart­ ment, to 31st December, 1888, together with the Balance outstanding, and the Amount in Arrear, ......... 96 10. —Fishery Loans during the year ending 31st December, 1888, ..... 97 11. —Total Amounts advanced as Fishery Loans, the Promissory Notes given as security, and the Total Repayments since the passing of the Act in 1874, to 31st December, 1888, together with the Balance outstanding and the Amount of Promissory Notes in Arrear, 98 12. —Statements showing how the Funds stood on 31st December, 1888, as compared -with the time they were transferred to Inspectors for administration, ..... 99 23. —Vessels on the Security of which Loans have been made, ..... HO- 24. —Vessels on which Mortgages have been taken as Collateral Security for Loans, 119 Statistics of Fish Exported and Imported. 13. —Salmon, Herrings, Mackerel, and Cod, exported to certain places, .... 102 14. —Return of Salted and Cured Fish imported in 1888, . 102 Salmon Fisheries. 15. —License duties received in 1888, ........ 103 1G. Do. received in 1863 to 1888, ....... 103 17. Do. payable in Ireland, ........ 104 18. —By-Laws in force, .......... 105 19. —Close Seasons in Ireland, ......... 110 20. —Certificates granted, .......... 114 21. —Rivers, Tidal and Fresh Water, Boundaries of, . 118 22. —-Result of Inquiries, . , • . ..... no REPORT OF THE INSPECTORS OF IRISH FISHERIES ON THE SEA. AND INLAND FISHERIES OF IRELAND, FOR 1888. TO HIS EXCELLENCY CHARLES STEWART, MARQUESS OF LONDONDERRY, K.G. &c., Ac., &c. LORD LIEUTENANT-GENERAL AND GENERAL GOVERNOR OF IRELAND. May it Please Your Excellency, We have the honour, in conformity with section 112 of the 5 and 6 Vic., cap. 106, to submit our Report for the year 1888, being the twentieth since the Sea and Inland Fisheries of Ireland have been placed under the superintendence of this Department. The Sea Fisheries. The returns obtained from the Collectors of Customs and the Coast Guard show that the number of Registered Vessels in Ireland during 1888, fishing for sale, amounted to 5,828, with crews consisting of 21,003 men, and 798 boys. Of the above 1,502 vessels, 6,077 men and 338 boys, are shown as exclusively engaged in fishing; and 4,326 vessels, 14,926 men and 460 boys as partially so engaged. It would appear that there is a decrease of 37 vessels and 41 men, and an increase of 92 boys, since last year. We have, however, to repeat the opinion expressed in former reports, that these returns cannot be considered as accurate, as we are aware that numbers of boats are engaged in fishing, particularly on the west coast, which are not registered. The difficulty of getting boats registered on this coast is very great, the Coast Guard stations being so few and far apart. Long stretches of the coast are unguarded; and it is not in most cases, without considerable trouble, inconvenience, and often expense, that fishermen can bring their boats to a station to be registered. Mackerel Fisheries. The quantity of mackerel taken during 1888 was considerably less than in 1887. In the beginning of the season the weather was so stormy that little fishing could be carried on. Numbers of vessels could not attempt to put to sea, and were in con­ sequence, with their crews on board, laid up in harbour for weeks. Expenses of maintaining the crews going on all that time, as much as if they were fishing, made the season financially disastrous for all concerned. The total capture was 160,725 boxes, realizing to the fishermen about £129,084, averaging 16s. Id. each box of 2 cwt. The nationalities of the vessels engaged in this fishery in 1888 were as follows :— Irish, «... 294 I Scotch, . 21 English and Manx, . , 318 | French, .... 86 According to the returns we have received, the Irish boats attending this fishery show an increase of 6, the Scotch boats a decrease of 17, and the French vessels an increase of 19, as compared with 1887. The English and Manx remained the same. 6 REPORT OF THE The following are the quantities landed at the principal stations named during the year; the total amount, as nearly as can be computed, realized by the fishermen ; and the average price per box :— JT Boxes. Total realized. Average Prices. £ £ 8. d. Kinsale, 54,785 36,081 0 13 2 Castletownbere, . 34,316 22,615 0 13 2 Baltimore, 19,116 17,566 0 18 44 Knightstown or Valencia, 15,561 19,271 14 9“ Ventry, .... 8,477 5,066 0 11 11| Castletownsend, 5,645 3,884 0 13 9 Ballydonegan, 4,268 5,596 1 6 2| Schull, .... 3,728 6,403 1 14 4 Ballycrovane, 2,700 3,636 1 6 11 Barrow, .... 1,892 1,483 0 15 8 Dingle, .... 1,867 1,379 0 14 91 Ballydavid or Smerwick, 2,110 1,305 0 12 4j Union Hall, 1,095 1,089 0 19 104 Courtmacsherry, 830 369 0 8 104 Seafield, 685 370 0 10 94 A statement of the quantity of mackerel landed around the coast of Ireland, so far as statistics have been collected, will be found in Appendix No. 2. In addition, however, to the quantity mentioned, a good deal was transhipped and sent direct to England, which is not included in these returns. Fishing commenced at Date. Ended About. Kinsale, ...... 14th April, 22nd July. Castletownbere, ..... 27th March, 19th July. H • • • • • October, 7th November. Baltimore, ...... 29th March, 16th June. 6th October, 3rd November. Knightstown (or Valencia), .... 15 th March, 20th June. >» j> .... September, December. Ventry, ...... 27th March, 21st June. 3rd October, 30th October. Castletownsend, ..... 20th March, 3rd August. 2nd October, 25th October. Ballydonegan, ..... 31st March, 1st May. 29 th August, 30th November. Schull, ...... 3rd April, . 19 th July. 1st September, . 5th November. Ballycrovane, ..... 29th March, 22nd May. 1st September, . 1st December. Dingle, ...... 9th April, . 28th J uno. Ballydavid (or Smerwick), .... 3rd April, . 30th May. ] st September, . 14th November. Union Hall, ...... 20th March, 7th July. 8 th September, . 3rd November. Courtmacsherry, . • • April, July. Seafield, only a few days fishing in May, — Seafield, ...... 10 th September, 6th December. At Kinsale there were 200 men employed in the buyers’ boats, at 26$. each per week, and 250 men at 25s. per week each, as packers, carters, &c. The gross earnings were nearly £7,500; 16 steamers, costing, roughly, £300 to £400 per month each, were engaged carrying fish, while there were 11 hulks used for storing, and seven vessels for carrying ice; 2,440 tons of ice were imported. The rates charged for conveying fish were as- follow :—To Liverpool, 6s.; to Manchester, 6s. 6d.; and to London, 9s. per box of 2 cwt. About 5 per cent, of the mackerel was retained for home consumption. The highest number of vessels employed on any one day was 227. At Castletownbere 192 men were employed in the buyers’ boats at £1 5s. each per week, as well as 40 men as packers, &c. The gross earnings were about £5,800. Nine steamers were engaged carrying fish to England. Five hulks were used for storing ice, of which 1,645 tons were imported by 4 vessels, as well as 150 tons by a French INSPECTORS OF IRISH FISHERIES. 7 agent. The rates for carriage of fish were—to Liverpool, 6s. 8d. ; to Manchester, 7s. 2d.; and to London, 9s. Sd. per box of 2 cwt., to which-is to be added about Is. Gd. per box, conveyance to Bantry station, equal to about Ils. a box to London. The highest number of boats employed on any one day was 206. At Baltimore 1 60 men were employed in the buyers’ boat, with wages of 24s. per week each, and 20 men as packers, carters, &c., at 22s. per week each; their gross earnings amounting to over £3,658. Fourteen steamers were engaged carrying fish to England. Five hulks were used for storing, and four vessels for carrying ice, of which 2,020 tons were imported. The rates for transit of fish to Liverpool, Manchester, and London were, including carriage to railway at Skibbereen, about 7 s. 4cZ., 7s. 10cZ., and 10s. 4cZ., respectively, per box of 2 cwt. The amount of fish retained for home consumption was about 2 per cent.