250 



0. Nordoaanl. 



For the sake of clearness, I have, in the following table only 

 put a + to represent those average values which are greater than 

 the normal ones, and a - - for those below the normal ones. 



Station 



Fredrikshald . 



Kragero 



Tvedestrand . . 



Oxo 



Mandal 



Skudenes .... 

 Ullensvang . . 



Bergen 



Floro 



Aalesund .... 

 Kristiansund . 

 Trondhjem . . . 

 Nordoerne . . . 



Bronno 



Sandnessjoen . 



Bodo 



Svolvser 



Tromso 



Gjesvaer 



Yardo 



18S6— 95 1896-1902 



+ 

 + 

 + 



4- 



+ 

 + 



+ 

 + 

 + 

 + 

 4- 



On comparing the values at the stations from Fredrikshald to 

 Skudenes, it will at once be seen that the downpour was gener- 

 ally above the normal in the years 1886—95, below, in 1896—1902. 

 The exception which is found at Mandal is of no consequence, as 



the surplus above the normal in 1896 — 1902 is exceedingly small. 

 in comparison to the difference between the average height of 

 downpour in the series of years mentioned. 



If we next investigate the results of the herring fishery in 

 the Skagerack, we find that the Swedish Bonus fishery shows 

 considerable increase in the years 1886—95, with a succeeding 

 decrease up to the present time. In 1886 — 95 the catch of fish 

 in Eastern Norway was, as a rule, good, and at times very plenti- 

 ful. In 1893, the culminating point was reached with a catch of 

 337000 HI. But from 1896 — 1902 the herring fishery in the same 

 district was poor. 



It will be found that the winter herring fishery, both in the 

 North Sea and Norwegian Sea off the coast of Norway, had a differ- 

 ent result. As will be seen, on reference to the tables, there was a 

 surplus downpour both in 1886— 95 and 1896-1902 from Skudenes 

 to Kristiansand and Trondhjem, but it was very slight at the two 

 last mentioned places, so that no decided effect can be expected there. 

 On the other hand, on the coast southwards from Aalesund, a con- 

 siderable surplus during both periods, greatest during the years 

 1896—1902, will be noticed. These facts harmonize well with the 

 particularly successful spring-herring fisheries from 1896 onwards, 

 the catches in the previous period, 1886 — 95, being unimportant in 

 comparison. And, as is well known, it is also from 1895 onwards 

 that there lias been herring fishery in the Romsdal district. 



During the years 1896 — 1902 then, the downpour on the 

 Skagerack coast was on an average below the normal, and in the 

 spring-herring district considerably above the usual average; at the 

 same time, the springherring fishery flourished, and that in the Bo- 

 nus and East Norwegian districts decreased. 



It has long been affirmed that there is an alternation between 

 the winter-herring fishery in the Skagerack and the Norwegian 

 springherring fishery, so that when the curve for the latter reaches 

 its maximum, the other is at a minimum, the highest point for the 

 one corresponding to the lowest for the other. As far as can be 

 seen from the historical notices of the fisheries, this interchange 

 would appear to be almost an unbroken rule, which does not, how- 

 ever, prevent the possibility of there being some catch of fish at 

 one and the same time both on the Bohus and the West Norwegian 

 coasts. In the light of my hypothesis, of the definite influence of 

 the pressure of the atmosphere on the fisheries, an explanation 

 may be sought in the fact that the barometrical minima which compel 

 winds and currents to send the herrings into the west coast of Nor- 

 way, cannot at the same time act similarly on the south Norwegian 

 and Bohus coasts. 



From what has now been advanced, it follows that the in- 

 fluences which are favourable to an inflow of herrings along a 

 given stretch of coast will obstruct the passage of the cod land- 

 wards. 



Let us, therefore, have a look at the results of the cod fishery. 

 That which is carried on in the springherring district (Stavanger 

 and the Bergenhus counties) yielded, during the years 1886 — 95, 

 about 3 million fish, calculated from the official statistics; for the 

 years 1896 — 1902, the average was about 1 million. 



In the Romsdal district, where big herring fishery has been 

 flourishing since 1895, I have calculated the average yield of cod 

 to be 7.9 millions during the years 1886 — 95, and about 6.5 milli- 

 ons for the years 1896—1902. Thus, in both these districts, an 

 increase in herrings and a decrease in cod have gone together. On 

 reference to the tables, it will be seen that the stations at Kristi- 



