FISHERIES AND SEAL-HUNTING. Go 



Similar stories are, it is true, not related in later times, but it is unde- 

 niable that the result of the fisheries during the years from 1820 to 1830 

 was perfectly enormous, and that this is not infrequently the case in our 

 time. Thus, in 182G, during 12 consecutive days, an average of 15,000 

 sturgeon a day were caught, mostly " sevriougas " and common stur- 

 geous, (Acipenser Giildenstadtii,) at the fishing establishment ("vataga") 

 of Provideuce, ("Bojii promysl,") on the Koura, fifteen " versts" (about 

 eight miles) from the mouth of this river. There were not hands enough 

 to carry on the work, so that an immense quantity of fish spoiled on the 

 spot, and 40,000 of them had to be cast into the water. This " vataga" 

 (fishing-establishment) was visited, in 1853, by the " Imperial commis- 

 sion for examining the fisheries of the Russian Empire." The commis- 

 sion was led by M. Baer, from the Imperial Academy of Sciences at St. 

 Petersburg, the statistical work being confided to M, Dauilevsky, while 

 I had charge of the technical part. 



I observed many a time that ducks and other aquatic birds, which, in 

 the river Koura, swam on the surface of the water, fell victims to the 

 voracity of the Siluri. Whenever a bird killed by a shot from a hunts- 

 man fell into the water, it was immediately seized and devoured by these 

 enormous fish. 



Every day from 3,000 to 5,000 " sevriougas" were brought to the " va- 

 taga," (fishing-establishment,) where the following quantities were 

 caught annually : about 15,000 "b61ougas;" 30,000 common sturgeon, 

 (Acipenser Giildenstadtii ;) 250,000 " sevriougas;" and 230,000 Siluri. 



Large numbers of the different species of sturgeon are also caught in 

 the Ural, the Terek, and the Volga. The wealth of the northern basin 

 of the Caspian Sea in fish is almost inexhaustible. More than 100,000 

 nets and at least 15,000,000 of hooks are here employed for sturgeon- 

 fishing alone, and thousands of fishing-boats are continually engaged in 

 this occupation. Immense nets are in constant use in the Ural, the 

 Volga, and in the delta of this latter river; and it is no rare occurrence 

 that at one single haul 40,000 "lestche" (Abramis brama) are caught, or 

 150,000 "voblas," (Leuciscus rutilus, L.,) or 200,000 "jelezuitsa," (Alosa 

 caspica.) 



4. — ESTIMATED VALUE OF THE FISHERIES IN THE CASPIAN SEA. 



The quantity and value of the fish which are caught every year in 

 the Caspian Sea and its principal tributaries, as well as the number of 

 seals captured in this sea, can be estimated only approximately. This 

 estimate amounts annually to the following : 



" B61ouga," (Acipenser Huso,) 475,000 "pouds," (17,100,000 pounds;) 

 value, 1,288,000 « roubles," ($901,600 gold.) 



"Osetre" (Acipenser Giildenstadtii) and "Ohyp," (Acipenser Schypa,) 

 405,000 "pouds," (14,580,000 pounds;) value, 1,G20,000 "roubles," 

 ($1,134,000 gold.) 



