Illustrationsofthisneglectedindustrymightbegiventoanyextent。Herringfishing，codfishing，andpilchardfishing，arealikeuntouched。TheIrishhaveastrongprejudiceagainstthepilchard；theybelieveittobeanunluckyfish，andthatitwillrotthenetthattakesit。TheCornishmendonotthinkso，fortheyfindthepilchardfishingtobeasourceofgreatwealth。
ThepilchardsstrikeupontheIrishcoastfirstbeforetheyreachCornwall。WhenMr。Brady，InspectorofIrishFisheries，visitedSt。Ivesafewyearsago，hesawcaptured，inoneseinealone，nearlytenthousandpoundsofthisfish。
Notlongsince；accordingtoanorthernlocalpaper，[13]alargefleetofvesselsinfullsailwasseenfromthewestcoastofDonegal，evidentlymakingfortheshore。Manysurmisesweremadeabouttheunusualsight。SomethoughtitwastheFenians，otherstheHomeRulers，otherstheIrish-AmericanDynamiters。Nothingofthekind！ItwasonlyafleetofScotchsmacks，sixty-fourinnumber，fishingforherringbetweenTorryIslandandHornHead。
TheIrishmightsaytotheScotchfishermen，inthewordsoftheMorayshirelegend，“Rejoice，Omybrethren，inthegiftsofthesea，fortheyenrichyouwithoutmakinganyoneelsethepoorer！“
ButwhiletheIrishareoverlookingtheirtreasureofherring，theScotcharecarefullycultivatingit。TheIrishfleetoffishing-boatsfellofffrom27，142in1823to7181in1878；andin1882theywerestillfurtherreducedto6089。[14]YetIrelandhasacoast-lineoffishinggroundofnearlythreethousandmilesinextent。