268 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



The most important of all the Norwegian fisheries are the cod fish- 

 eries, their production being about 60 per cent of the entire yield. These 

 fisheries are carried on within a distance of 10 miles * from the coast, 

 almost exclusively with open boats, which carry nets, long-lines, and 

 hand-lines. Every boat with nets has a crew of three or four men : 

 every boat with long-lines, generally three; and every boat with hand- 

 lines, four. The net fisheries are the most expensive, but also the most 

 l)roductive, while the hand-line fisheries are the cheapest, but the least 

 productive. Prior to 1881 nets were mostly used, but of late years the 

 line fisheries have become more important, the hand-line fisheries yield- 

 ing on an average 8 to 10 per cent of the entire production. 



During the period from 1879 to 1884 there were on an average en- 

 gaged in the cod fisheries 77,289 fishermen, with 18,135 boats, the aver- 

 age annual yield being 53,516,000 codfish, valued at 12,544,000 crowns 

 [$3,361,792]. In 1880 the number of cod caught was 68,000,000; in 

 1883, only 33,000,000 ; and in 1884, 50,000,000. It will thus be seen 

 that there are great and sudden fluctuatious in the yield, but as far as 

 our statistics go they have quickl}^ reached the usual average, while 

 the causes of these fluctuations are entirely unknown. 



The entire cod fisheries may be subdivided into the winter cod fish- 

 cries and the spring cod (" lodde") fisheries. In the winter cod fisheries 

 fish are caught which, when approaching the coast, contain a great deal 

 of roe and milt. These fisheries last from January till April, when the 

 fish, having spawned, again leave the coast. The main winter cod fish- 

 eries are carried on near the Lofoden Islands. The spring cod make 

 their appearance on the coasts of the Polar Sea from February till May, 

 and are not mature fish (not ready to spawn). They only come near 

 the coast in pursuit of the "lodde," a kind of smelt, which at this season 

 frequents the bays of the Polar Sea in enormous quantities, and is caught 

 for the purpose of serving as bait. Consequently but few nets are em- 

 ployed in the cod fisheries, but principally long-lines and hand-lines. 



The winter cod fisheries near the Lofoden Islands and Vesteraalen, 

 carried on principally on the side of these islands towards the mainland, 

 have from time immemorial been the most important fisheries of ]S'or- 

 way, Jind are unique. From January innumerable fishing boats come 

 to tliese islands from all parts of Xorway, accompanied by trading ves- 

 sels, which carry the necessary supply of salt for salting the fish, which 

 buy a great many fish, and supply many of the wants of the fishermen. 

 The entire fisheries, from January 16 till April 14, are under the careful 

 and strict supervision of a naval officer, and tliey are thoroughly regu- 

 lated by numerous laws and regulations. The supervising officer is 

 also commissioned to take the statistics of these fisheries. These sta- 

 tistics are exceedingly comprehensive and exact. During the last ten 

 years there were engaged on an average, per annum in this district, 

 about 25,000 fishermen, with about 6,000 boats, and the annual aver- 



* This is probably the Norwegian niilc, which equals about 4.7 English miles. 



