BULLETIN OF THB UNITED STATES b'ISH COMMISSION. 30J 



91.- THE ICELAND Sll % RK-I t «*ll I: It! K8. 



The kind of shark which is called in Danish havkal (Greenland shark, 

 Scymnus microcephalics) is found throughoul the entire Arctic Ocean. 

 near Greenland and Iceland, and, though in smaller numbers, in the 

 North Sea. and even in the Cattegat, where nearly every year some are 

 caught near the coast of Bohuslan, and on the so-called "Great Banks," 

 where the depth is from 30 to 110 fathoms. In Norway important shark- 

 fisheries have been carried on from time immemorial, particularly in 

 winter, from the beginning of September to the end of February, from 

 Tromsoe to the Varanger fiord, and in some other places, such as Stor- 

 eggen, on the coast of Romsdal. Most of these fishing places have a 

 depth of from 100 to 300 fathoms, and are generally at the distance of 

 several miles from the land. Many Norwegian vessels also catch sharks 

 in the Arctic Ocean between Beeren (Iceland) and Spitzbergen, where 

 these fish are called haaJcjarrring. On the Danish coasts the shark is 

 very rare. Occasionally some have been seen as far south as the Kulien 

 promontory, at the northern entrance of the Sound; near Hon, in the 

 Cattegat; and near Souder-Nissum, on the west coast of Jutland. 

 There are, therefore, on the Danish coasts no regular shark-fisheries 



There seems to prevail some uncertainty as to the size of the Green- 

 land shark; near Iceland, for instance, it is said to reach the length of 

 21 feet. This statement is probably based on the account of (humerus. 

 There has certainly been some misunderstanding as regards a state 

 incut made by Eggert Olafson, who says, "The largest Greenland 

 shark can reach the length of 10 yards, Iceland measure." A yard, 

 Iceland measure, however, is 18 inches, and according to Danish meas- 

 ure, this would be only 7£ Danish yards. We shall be about right 

 when we say that the size of the Greenland shark rarely exceeds (i 

 Danish yards, or 12 feet. Lieut. O. Trolle states that he caught one 

 measuring 23 feet in length. 



The Greenland shark is caught principally on account of its liver, 

 but in Iceland the meat is also frequently used as food, after it has ben 

 allowed to hang for some time, or, having been put in the ground, has 

 undergone a process of fermentation. When fresh the meat is indi- 

 gestible and unwholesome; when dried it has a peculiar but by no 

 means disagreeable flavor, somewhat resembling old cheese. When 

 fermented the meat is slimy and jelly-like, but it is stated that at pres 

 ent it is not much used for food when in that condition. The yield ol 

 oil, of course, differs very much, according to the size of the liver, 

 which corresponds to the si/.e and fatness of Hie fish. A .-nod liver 

 will yield about 06 per cent oil. while others will only yield about 50 



"Havkalfangstenfra Island." From Fukeritideude, No. 16, Copenhagen, November 



11 1884. Translated iioin the Danish by IIkk.man Jacobson. 



