This case focuses on fishing in Ireland and describes the historical context. In general, there are three distinct types of fish:
In the 16th century in Ireland fishing had been an economically and socially important factor but by the 1700s the fishing industry had become bleaker. Regional diversity was created as certain types of fish flourished in specific areas, e.g. Cork, Kinsale and Bantry were know for pilchard fishing in the 16th century. There was a lucrative export trade for herring, salmon, pilchard and hake to Spain which resulted in exploitation of these fish.
While Ireland remained under British rule, any development of the Irish fishing industry was viewed as a potential threat to Great Britain's industry. Petitions to Parliament resulted in a law enacted during the 17th century preventing Irish fishermen from leaving port while the English fleet was fishing. In the 18th century, curing of fish was stalled because of a penal duty on imported salt. In 1819 the First Commission for Irish Fisheries was set up and in 1822 small piers were built in the West of Ireland to alleviate famine situations. Ultimately 900 small harbours and jetties were built at dispersed points around the country. Grants were given to small fishermen, although no grant was available to buy a boat more than 46 feet long. This meant the fishing industry was limited to small scale fishing only. In 1830, the Irish Fishery Department became a branch of the Board of Inland Navigation and nearly all practical benefits for the sea fishing industry came to a stop. In addition to the political issues there was limited infrastructure for ensuring a catch made it to market.
By the 20th century a 1962 white paper restructured Bord Iascaigh Mhara as a development body, rather than as an industrial one. Fish stocks have traditionally constituted a renewable resource' but the introduction of increasingly complex fish-finding equipment of smaller meshes (including environmentally hazardous 'purse seine")',' and of vacuum methods for extraction, give even the smallest fish poor chance of escape.
MacDougall, Archibald. A treatise on the Irish fisheries: and various other subjects, connected with the general improvement of Ireland. Belfast: J. Smyth, 1819. [Older Printed Books Collection]
Little is known about Archibald MacDougall. His book explores fisheries and the limitations placed by Parliament on the Irish fishing industry. MacDougall describes how herring has played a fundamental role in European history both socially and economically.
Andrews, William. On the fisheries of the coasts of Ireland: addressed to Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Ussher. John Browne, 1847. [Older Printed Books Collection]
William Andrews (1802–80) was a British naturalist. He was a founder member and later secretary and president of the Dublin Natural History Society. Andrews worked on marine fishes and was an acknowledged expert on Salmonidae. He was one of the first to publish papers on fisheries. In 1847 he established the Royal Irish Fisheries Company. On the fisheries of the coasts of Ireland describes ‘sunfish’ also known as ‘basking sharks’ and how they are not captured off the Blasket Islands as they are too small. In addition, he describes herring, mackerel and sprats.
Blake, John A. The history and position of the sea fisheries of Ireland: and how they may be made to afford increased food and employment. Waterford: J.H. McGrath, "The Citizen" office, 26 King-street, 1868. [Munster Printing Collection]
John Aloysius Blake (1826–1887) was born in Waterford. As a Roman Catholic was educated at King's College, Waterford, and Government College at Pau in France. His political career began in local government: he served as mayor of Waterford (1855–1858) and president of the Waterford chamber of commerce (1858–1859). In 1859, Blake helped found The Waterford Citizen newspaper. Blake served as MP for Waterford City (1857–1869) for County Waterford (1880-1884) and for County Carlow (1886). Blake was chairman of the Fishery Harbours Commission for Ireland. The history and position of the sea fisheries of Ireland describes the state of herring fisheries by the mid-19th century and how the Irish fished.
Doyle, William. Two letters wherein the sovereignty of the British seas, and the sole right of fishing in them is asserted and maintained: with remarks on the foreign fisheries, and the means of rendering our own successful: the author's discoveries on the Nymph-fishing-bank, near the south coast of Ireland, with a curious map, wherein the same is now first included ... to which is annexed a third letter and certificates, with a preface concerning the Nymph-bank and coast adjacent, with proposals for establishing a company for executing a fishery there. London: Printed for the author, and sold by J. Brett ... [et al.], 1739. [Older Printed Books Collection]
William Doyle was a Dublin hydrographer and surveyed Waterford in 1736 publishing his survey as a chart in 1738 in both London & Dublin. In 1736 he discovered the Nymph Bank, a shallow area south-east of Ireland rich in fish, which is marked prominently on many of the later eighteenth century maps. Emanuel Bowen prepared the ‘A New and Accurate Map of Ireland C.1747 and it appeared in A Complete System of Geography. The map contains notes regarding bays and harbours along the coast of County Waterford, and about the Nymph Bank from Doyle’s Hydrographic survey.
Brabazon, Wallop. The deep sea and coast fisheries of Ireland: with suggestions for the working of a fishing company. Illustrated by William Cooper. Dublin: James McGlashan, 1848. [Older Printed Books Collection]
Brabazon (1813-1890) wrote this short account of the Irish Fisheries “for the information of persons who wished to take Shares in any of the Fishing Companies projected, which cannot fail to be a most remunerating speculation if worked under proper management”. The book has pull out prints of the different boats, equipment and nets used in the mid-19th century: Irish herring net, Irish trawl net, trawl irons, salmon net fishing. He gives various opinions on what is the better type of fishing by which nation.
Lecky (42,1981) attributed the industry’s decline in part to the introduction of the trawl net in 1738.
Jones, William. The Broad, Broad Ocean and Some of Its Inhabitants. London: Frederick Warne and Co., 1871. [Friedlander Collection]
This was designed for children with images of the deep.
Verne, Jules. Vingt mille lieues sous les mers. illustré de 111 dessins par De Neuville et Riou; gravés par Hildibrand. Paris: Bibliothèque d'education et de récréation, J. Hetzel et Cie., [c.1890-1899]. [Older Printed Books Collection]
From 1863 – 1905 Jules Verne wrote a sequence of fifty-four novels known as ‘Voyages Extraordinaires’ and this is #6VE. The novels were first serialised in a bi-weekly magazine Magasin d’Éducation et de recreation and subsequently the texts were published as complete unillustrated book forms or using the original illustrations from the serialization in a larger format with gilded and coloured bindings. The goal of the Voyages Extraordinaires (VE) was to outline all the geographical, geological, physical, and astronomical knowledge amassed by modern science. Coupled with Verne’s meticulous attention to detail and scientific trivia is his sense of wonder and exploration. Alphonse de Neuville (1835-1885) collaborated with Edouard Riou (1833-1900) on Vingt mille lieues sous les mers — all of the illustrations from chapter 12 onwards are those of de Neuville.
Chase, Owen, Thomas Chappel and George Pollard. Narrative of the most extraordinary and distressing shipwreck of the whale-ship Essex, of Nantucket Narratives of the wreck of the whale-ship Essex of Nantucket: which was destroyed by a whale in the Pacific ocean in the year 1819. With an introduction & twelve engravings on wood by Robert Gibbings. London: The Golden Cockerel Press, 1935. [Gibbings Collection]
This is the first authentic account of the ramming and sinking of a ship by a whale. The captain and crew then suffered for three months at sea, in open boats. Twelve of the crew of twenty died during this ordeal, the remainder surviving by cannibalism.
Melville, Herman. Moby Dick, or, The whale. Introduction by Clifton Fadiman and illustrations by Boardman Robinson. New York: Heritage, 1943. [Glucksman Collection]
Chase's graphic narrative was pivotal in Melville's research and he made extensive notes on it. "He cites [the story of the Essex] in Chapter 45 of Moby-Dick, 'The Affidavit,' as corroborating 'the most marvellous event in this book' (p. 181), meaning the sinking of the Pequod" (Sealts, p. 69).
