The Irish standard., 1916-04-08

en-. Here very large quantity of
herring has been cured for export,
the season has been scarcely less
busy. At Killybegs in August, 1915,
behring's of extraordinary fine size and
quality were landed. Only relative
ly small proportion of the catches was
dispatched fresh to the markets.
Donegal Salmon Fishing.
An interesting story appertains to
the very appreciable development in
the salmon fishing which has taken
place off the West Donegal coast in
recent years. 1t was not known that
salmon, when proceeding from the
deep water to rivers, followed the
same course year after year. To the
late Father Bernard Walker, of Bur-
tonport, is due the credit of proving
this theory, and that, too, in the most
incontrovertible manner. During
some boating trips we'll outside the
islands which fringe the Rosses, his
observation was directed on a few &C.
casions to the splashing of salmon, as
he conceived it to be, and curiosity
tempted him to try his luck with q
salmon net along a course where he
and his enterprise were rewarded in
a fine capture, and his initiative was
quickly followed by the fishermen Of
the West Donegal coast, who found
in the new grounds successful area
of operations.
Connacht and Munster Fisheries.
The Connemara, Mayo, and Galway
centers of the herring and mackerel
fisheries have had a fairly good sea-
son also, but the marketing suffers
from lack of the organization which
has grown up in the Donegal areas.
The Congested Districts Board feel
that much might be done in the way
of encouraging better fishing in sew
and South Connemara; and with re-
gard to the latter place scheme has
been instituted to induce more inter
est in the resources which the sea pro-
vides for the jewellers along this very
congested coast line. The one area in
which the fishing has been appreciably
below the average is that of the town
of Dingle, and so pronounced has the
scarcity of fish been, and SO poor the
results achieved, that the Board has
been unable to press the fishermen at
present for payments in the matter of
the instruments for boats supplied. 1t
is regrettable, too, that the Govern
ment has withdrawn the grant for
the harbor works, even though it is
understood that at one time since the
war was declared they expressed their
willingness to have these works gone
on with and completed.
AS illustrating the uncertainties
with which mackerel and herring
fisheries are sometimes accompanied
on the Western Irish coast, the i'll.
luck of the Dingle fishermen is not
without interest. All along the North.
ern coast line of the peninsula the
takes were we'll up to, and frequently
beyond, the average, and morning aft
er morning heavy loads of fish were
conveyed by cart from the fishing vii
lagos across the promontory to Dingl'
to be cured at the curing stations
there. All this time the fish scarcel,
ever looked in at the southern sid,
Of the Dingle peninsula, and the fish
ermen of the town suffered one O
the most disappointing of several dis
;appointing seasons in recent years.
With a few drawbacks, the fishin
on the western coast has general
been Eemunerative in nearly every d.
partment this season, and the success
should be IN incentive to better effort
in the season to come.