§ Mr. FETHERSTONHAUGHasked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) if he is aware that the people of Inishkea Island, county Mayo, are very much annoyed by the whaling station on the island, though at first they were in favour of it; but, from a trial of it and the experience of the smells caused by it and the injury to lobster and other fisheries, they are now threatening to prevent by force the landing of whales on their island; and whether he proposes to take any action in the matter?
§ Mr. T. W. RUSSELLThe whaling station at Inishkea has been inspected on various occasions by officers of the Department. The islanders have at all times, and during a recent visit of the Department's inspector, expressed themselves as much pleased at the establishment of a whaling station on the Island. During the summer season the islanders were paid nearly £900 in wages for work done at the 819W station; the rate of payment was in most cases £1 per week. The Department are also aware that this year's lobster fishing has been one of the best for many years, some of the islanders having made over £40 per man at this class of fishing. The Department have not heard of any such threats as those referred to in the question.
§ Mr. FETHERSTONHAUGHasked the Vice-President of the Departure of Agriculture (Ireland) if he is aware that the whaling station on Inishkea Island, off the Mayo coast, causes inconvenience to persons living on the mainland some miles away owing to the smell of the decaying whales, and has the Department considered the nuisance which will be caused if a whale fishery is licensed at Elly Point, on a land-locked bay, close to the residences of a number of people; is he aware that the fishing industry in Blacksod Bay is considerable and increasing, and that the establishment of whaling stations has always proved destructive of all other fisheries in Norway and elsewhere, so much so, that whaling stations have been made illegal in Norway; and will he reconsider the question of sanctioning whaling at Elly Point, in view of the unpopularity of the business and the nuisance and injury that it will cause to fishermen and others?
§ Mr. T. W. RUSSELLThe Department are not aware that inconvenience is caused to persons on the mainland by any offensive smell from the whaling station. The question of the possibility of any nuisance being caused to the public by the establishment of a whaling station in the neighbourhood of Ardelly Point was considered at a public inquiry held at Belmullet in July last. The Department are not aware that fishing in Blacksod Bay has been increasing, but, notwithstanding the fact that this is the second season during which whaling has been carried on off the coast820W of Erris, it has been a remarkably good year for sea-fishing in the district. There were more cod on the coast than for the 12 preceding years, and the fishing for salmon off the coast in question was the best since this industry was started. There has also been abundance of mackerel. The Department have made investigations into the effect of whaling stations in other countries, and they are satisfied that, when the whaling industry is properly carried on, it is not injurious to any other class of fishing. Whaling stations have been made illegal in certain parts of Norway, but the Department are satisfied from the careful inquiries that they have made that certain temporary fluctuations-in the fish supply of that region cannot be connected with the operation of the whaling stations. The Department, having issued a licence for a whaling station at Ardelly Point, after careful consideration of all the circumstances, including the monetary advantages to the neighbourhood from the industry, are not prepared to reopen the question.