36 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



here and there. This country, called the Mourman coast, possesses a 

 great number of large and small inlets, which form excellent anchoring- 

 places. Five thousand fishermen assemble there for the season, from 

 April till the middle of August. The majority of these come from the 

 coast-villages of the White Sea, located in the districts of Onega and 

 Kern, and they are known by the name of "Poinortsie" — inhabitants 

 of the sea-coast. 



The average annual value of the fisheries in the White Sea, the Arctic 

 Ocean, and the rivers flowing into them is a million "roubles," (about 

 $700,000 gold.) Of this sum, the cod-fisheries on the Mourman coast 

 yield at least 400,000 "roubles," (about $280,000 gold,) and the herring- 

 fisheries in the White Sea 250,000 "roubles," (about $175,000 gold.) 

 The phocse-hunt yields annually about 80,000 "pouds" (2,880,000 pounds) 

 of oil, valued at 120,000 "roubles," (about $84,000 gold.) 



The manner of fishing and of preparing the fish when caught is much 

 less perfect on the coasts of the White Sea and the Arctic Ocean than 

 that of the Astraehau fishermen. The fish are, in general, salted in an 

 imperfect and slovenly manner. The monks of the convent of Solovetsk 

 alone distinguish themselves by their manner of salting herring ; and an 

 exception must also be made with regard to the salting of the salmon of 

 the Dwiua and the Onega. The reason of this is, not that the fishermen 

 do not know the approved method of preparing fish, but that they shun 

 the trouble and expense, and content themselves with the old saying, 

 "We go on doing as our fathers and grandfathers have done before us." 



A— THE FISHERIES IN THE WHITE SEA AND THE PET- 



SHOKA. 



In the White Sea and the rivers falling into it, such as the Petshora, 

 the following kinds of fish are found, of which I will first give the Rus- 

 sian names : " Okouue," (Perca fluviatilis,) perch ; " yorsche," (Acerina 

 vulgaris;) "revtsa," (Cottus quadricornis ;) " kertcha," (Cottus scorpio ;) 

 "zoubatka," (Anarhiclias lupus,) wolf-fish; "harass," (Cyprinus caras- 

 sius,) carp; " vyoune," (Tinea vulgaris,) tench; "pestousch," (Gobio 

 fluviatilis;) " yelets," (Leuciscus grislagine ;) in the Tsilma and Peza 

 Elvers: " yaz," (Leuciscus idus,) nerfling; " soroga," (Leuciscus rutilus ;) 

 "lestche," (Abramisbrama ;) "oukleika," (Aspius alburnus ;) "stchouka," 

 (Esox lucius,) pike ; "siomga," (Salmo salar,) salmon; "coumja," 

 (Salmo trutta,) sea-trout; " koriouchka," (Osmerus eperlanus,) smelt; 

 " kharyouss," (Thymallus vexillifer, Agassiz,) grayling; "sig," (Corego- 

 nus oxyrliynchus, Lin.,) long-snouted white-fish; " nelma," (Coregonus 

 leucichthys, Pall.;) " seld," (Clupea harengus,) herring; " treska," (Gadus 

 morrhua,) cod; " pertoua," (Gadus callarias ;) " navaga," (Gadus na- 

 vaga ;) " sai'da," (Gadus sa'ida ;) " nalim," (Lota vulgaris,) burbot; 

 " kambala," (Pleuronectes platessa,) flounder; " kambala," (Pleuronectes 

 fiesus ;) " sterliad," (Acipenser ruthenus,) sterlet; " minoga," (Petromy. 

 zon fiuviatilis,) lamprey; "petchorskoi sig," (Coregonus polkur,T?i\\\.,) 



