90 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



at Iceland, may induce tliem to extend their cruises into still more dis- 

 tant seas. 



" Writing to Captain Juel, under date of October 16, 1884, I asked 

 the following questions : (1.) ' Can you give me any information as to the 

 abundance of halibut on the coast of Norway ? (2.) When and where 

 do they occur? (3.) Do the Norwegians make use of them for com- 

 mercial purposes'? (4.) Would the Norwegian Government permit 

 American vessels to buy or catch halibut near its shores ? ' 



" Of course I understand that foreign vessels can fish outside the 

 limit, but I am interested to know if your people would be kindly dis- 

 posed toward our fishermen if they came on your coasts? 



" Under date of November 5, 1884, Captain Juel, says : 



" ' Halibut are found all along the coast of Norway, and iu almost all 

 the firths, and are fished for almost all the year round, but particularly 

 in early summer, which is the spawning season. It does not give oc- 

 casion to any particular fishery, but the halibut is takeu with the ling, 

 cod, and other fishes, by the shore fishermen. In some places they use 

 particular lines on grounds where the halibut resort in greater num- 

 bers than ordinary. The fish is either salted in barrels or cut in strips 

 and dried. Only smaller quantities are shipped in ice to England, par- 

 ticularly from Aalesund. The export from Bergen in 1883 was about 

 118,000 kilograms net (equal to 200,172 pounds). The salted and dried 

 halibut is consumed iu the country. 



" ' British fishermen are taking halibut during the months of May to 

 July on the banks of Skagerack and the North Sea, 10 to 15 geographi- 

 cal miles south and southwest of the Norwegian coast. Bound Iceland 

 is also a very good halibut fishery during the summer. 



" 'All kinds of exports are reserved to the inhabitants, except that of 

 fresh and salted fish, which is allowed to foreigners from June 15 to 

 September 30, from several fishing places specially named by law in 

 the counties of Nordland and Tromso. If, for instance, foreigners \vish 

 to buy fish, they are obliged to use a commissioner, who can easily be 

 procured. No fishery will be allowed within a distance of 6 geographi- 

 cal miles (minutes) from the coast; at least the Government tries to 

 keep the 0-mile (1 Norwegian mile) limit; but we have no coast guard, 

 and as coast fishing is not very much practiced in summer, except oft' 

 Aalesund, foreigners will seldom iuterfere with our fishermen.'" 



Halibut getting scarce. — The Boston Daily Advertiser of July 9, 

 1884, says : 



" Halibut of late years are getting to be very scarce, and very few 

 can now be found on our banks, where twenty years ago they were 

 numerous. Our vessels have to hunt for new grounds, and fish in deep 

 water to get any." 



o' 



Halibut in fresh water. — One of Mr. Blackford's correspondents, 

 Mr. N. W. Foster, of Riverhead, N. Y., says : 



" In this village, near the dock last Saturday afternoon [November 15, 



